#“if you cry at rehearsal in the professional world you lose your job”

[cheapbananas]

as someone who grew up in theatre, (i admit to this only for the sake of the point) this is exactly how people in the performing world talk to 8 year olds. the funniest part about this scene is that anyone who grew up performing knows how real this is.

you know how you talk to 8 year olds

[distantdarlings]

CRY TO ME // t. nott

RATING: R / 2.1K WORDS

Theodore Nott x Fem Reader Insert

+ SUMMARY - (1960s AU) (Based on this) When Theodore Nott, the best dancer at one of the top clubs in the Wizarding World, loses his dance partner, he asks you to take her place. However, he pushes you too far and you quickly become overwhelmed.

+ WARNINGS - SMUT! (PIV), unprotected sex, kissing, language, inexperienced!reader, sub!reader, dom!theo, brief mention of masturbation, small amount of angst at beginning, fem reader, bad Google translate, not fully proofread (please lmk if I missed any)

+ MUSIC (listened to while writing) -

Cry To Me - Solomon Burke

A/N: Okay so here’s that Dirty Dancing inspired idea I had. I know it’s kind of a weird mixture but I want to see what you guys think, so please lmk below!!!

- - -

“So, why? Why can’t we do the dance this way?” you demanded, pressing your hands to your hips.

“Because the performance is in two days! We’ve rehearsed it like this the whole time!” Theo shouted back, his face becoming red with anger.

You groaned in frustration, pressing your hands to your face. The sweat slipped through your fingers and down your arms. The two of you had been at it for 4 hours, practicing like your lives depended on it.

Your second to last performance of the season was approaching quickly, as was the end of summer. The two of you couldn’t come to a conclusion about what the finishing move was going to be.

You had argued back and forth for weeks trying to decide what was going to knock the rest of the performers off of their feet, and ensure the two of you would be the main entertainment for the rest of the season. Only that would pay yours and his bills.

You’d been partners since the beginning of summer, when the two of you had first met. You’d had no prior dancing experience and had been absolutely terrified to take on the challenge of dancing with Theodore Nott. One of the best dancers you’d ever seen.

The club you agreed to dance with Theo for had been threatening to drop you for another set of partners. They were better, faster, more qualified, but you’d promised Theo that you’d help him keep his job with this club.

But right now, you felt as though he was expecting too much of you. You’d promised you’d be his dancing partner for the rest of the season only to keep him his job. You didn’t agree to become one of the best young dancers on the scene. You weren’t good enough. Theo was, however. And he was expecting too much from you.

“Theo, I told you I’d help you keep your job. When your dance partner backed out, I stepped up to help you immediately. But I told you from the beginning, I’m not a professional dancer. I’m nowhere close to you or even your old dance partner. I’m just me! I’m telling you—I don’t think I can do this move!”

Angry tears had begun to cascade down your face. At the sight of your emotions, Theo seemed to pause and drop his defensive boundaries. His rage seemed to stutter.

“I didn’t—I’m sorry,” he whispered, stepping closer to you. You shook your head and turned away from him, so angry you couldn’t see straight through the tears or your fury.

“I’m sorry…I’ve pushed you too far,” he said. “How about we take a break?”

You sighed, covering your face out of embarrassment. You didn’t want to cry in front of him. You wanted to finish the damn dance and move on.

“Amore,” he whispered, his voice rattling through the air. Your breath shuddered as he reached for you once more, trying to comfort you. The tips of his fingers brushed against your arm. Somewhat awkwardly, he tried to comfort you. Yet the way he spoke, and the way he touched you, led you to want more than his comfort.

Since the two of you had started dancing together, you couldn’t ignore the obvious attraction you felt for him and the tension that often hung through the air between the two of you.

“What does that mean?” You breathed, refusing to meet his eyes.

“What?” he chuckled quietly.

“Amore,” you responded. “What does that mean?”

“It means ‘love.’” You gasped slightly at his words.

When you finally met his eyes, he grabbed your hand and pulled you toward the back of the practice studio.

Behind the studio was a small building where Theo was allowed to stay while he was performing with the club—it had been part of his contract. He led you through the door.

His room was dark and smelled slightly of tobacco smoke. He walked past the fireplace and further into the room. You could feel his fingers unfurl from yours as he cast a small incantation toward the small candelabra in the corner. it was bronzed and quite plain but the boy it illuminated was cut like David.

Theo turned and walked toward you, stopping just before your body. His softly carved fingers traced slowly up your arms. Though you wore a long-sleeved shirt, you could still feel his fingertips through the material. Shocks went down your spine.

He pressed his hand tightly against the small of your back. You recognized this position as the one that he had done while you were dancing just moments before.

Your hips melded against his as he let you fall back against the brace of his arm. Your eyes fluttered shut as you allowed the dark boy to support you with full trust. You sighed as your back craned against Theo’s arm. He dipped you once before pulling you back up. You smiled slightly, allowing your hands to place themselves on Theo’s chest.

It was endearing how Theo seemed to incorporate dance into everything. He was a dancer, that much was clear, but you weren’t. You’d never taken any classes but the way Theo moved your body within his hands made you feel as if you’d always known what to do. Like you’d always felt the rhythm that Theo kept in his body.

He pulled you as close against him as you would go. Your lips trembled as the tall boy leaned you back once again, molding his blushed lips against your neck. You weren’t sure how you felt about this, feeling this boy's touch and wanting more. If your parents knew, they'd murder you but this was your way of rebelling against them. You knew that they'd hate you but you didn't care.

"K—" you breathed out, your chest shuddering beneath the pressure of his closeness.

"What?" Theo asked, his eyes flickering up to yours, eyebrows furrowed in concern.

You looked into his eyes, wanting nothing more than to fall into them. You wanted to feel the brunette's arms wrapped around you and his cold lips on your chest. You wanted to feel the strings of his heart wrap tightly around your throat and suffocate you.

"Kiss me."

Theo exhaled shakily and, without another moment, pressed his lips to yours, holding your face in place with his gentle fingers. Within a breath, you wrapped your arms around his neck, attempting to be closer to him in any way possible.

You felt his hands fall away from your back and slip beneath the underside of your thighs. A gasp slipped from your lips as Theo lifted you off the ground and pressed your back to the wall. The feeling of the wood behind you and his soft body before you made you shudder with delight.

The boy’s lips melded perfectly with your own, allowing you to see that this is what you wanted. You didn't want to be constantly nagged at by your parents about finding a Ravenclaw man or a wealthy auror. You wanted Theo—this beautiful, Slytherin dancer.

You unwrapped your legs from his tight waist, placing your feet gently on the floor. You pushed Theo backwards and over to the lounge chair you’d seen when you first walked in. Theo fell down against it and allowed you to straddle his hips.

You pulled his lips back to yours, feeling the way the boy's chest pressed so beautifully against your own. A small moan slipped across your tongue at the taste of Theo’s lips.

He brought his fingers up to your hair, burying them within the soft strands. Your chest shuddered against his feelings.

Theo’s hands traveled down to your waist, pulling the hem of your training shirt out of the waistband of your skirt. You helped him slip it over your head.

Theo marveled at your body. Your skin was flawless beneath the white fabric, carved with the intricacies of an art form. He dragged his fingertips down your curves, reveling in the feeling of the soft flesh that blushed beneath his touch.

"You’re so beautiful," Theo whispered, his lips parted, a springtime blush painted across his cheeks and nose. His lips were a bit swollen from the pressure of yours.

Without another word, you pressed your lips back to Theo’s, allowing him to turn both of you over.

The small chair caused some issues with that but Theo quickly figured it out, getting to work on your skirt. His nimble fingers moved over the fabric like they were dancers themselves.

You watched his every movement, his chest elevating with each heavy breath. The brunette boy pressed his cold lips to your stomach.

A gasp escaped you at the sudden change in temperature. Your fingers wrapped in Theo’s hair just as he had done to yours.

Once your skirt was undone and slid down the length of your thighs, Theo slowly slid his pants down his legs. You helped him pull the firm material down and to the floor.

Though you both had waited for months to see each other, to touch each other, to love each other, you couldn’t wait another second now. It felt as though you’d miss out if you waited any longer. You were scared that Theo would slip through your fingers and you’d never feel his touch again.

“Can’t believe I waited this long,” Theo breathed against your flesh.

He kissed his way back up your chest, marveling at the roving dips and curves. Your hands which were still tucked within his hair led his head back up to yours. Your lips locked together once more with a fervor that left the both of you—inexperienced and experienced—utterly breathless.

The brunette boy's hands traveled down between the two of you, his pale fingers tracing down your abdomen. His hands slipped gently between the fabric of your undergarments and your flesh.

You moaned against Theo’s lips at the contact he was applying to the core of your body. His hands gently teased the your most sensitive areas, smirking against your lips at the sounds he elicited from you. The sound was intoxicating to him.

The only thing you’d ever felt down there was the touch of your own hands, but now you wondered how you’d ever lived without his. He touched every aspect of your body perfectly—almost like he could read your mind and knew exactly what you wanted. Perhaps he was a Legilimens.

“Theo, I need you closer,” you breathed, just as his fingers had just begun to edge your inexperienced body over in on itself.

Without saying another word, he slid his briefs down his pants and ever so gently slid himself inside of you.

The foreign stretch pushed your face to the sky. Your lips opened wide, crying out in silent bliss. His hand gently brushed your hair away from your sweating face.

“So beautiful,” he sighed. “You feel just as I’d imagined.”

The thought of him imagining you and himself like this had you teetering on the edge of pleasure.

With him inside of you, claiming you as his, you imagined him after one of your heavy, tension-filled practices. Ones where he’d brush his fingers down your body a little slower, a little longer, a little softer than he had the last time…or ones where he’d let his breath fan across your neck when he was standing behind you…or ones where you’d touched yourself after the fact to relieve even half of the tension he forced into your body.

And with one final thrust against you, you came breathlessly over Theo, with him very close behind.

At the tightening of your muscles, he gripped the cushion above your head and released into you, pressing love and warmth into you over and over again. You clutched at his bare skin, begging for purchase on anything as he rode out his high into you, assaulting what little strength you had left.

You could barely see anything—not his gorgeous face above you screwed together in pleasure, not the metal ceiling of the building overhead, and not the black beginning to cloud at the edges of your vision.

“S-stop,” you barely muttered out.

Within a millisecond, he completely stopped his movements. His high had passed and so had yours.

“I’m sorry, tesoro,” Theo breathed, checking to make sure you were okay and desperately kissing your fingers. “I didn’t mean to push you too hard.”

“It seems you have a bit of knack for that, hmm?” you whispered, giggling just a bit.

As he realized you were joking, he relaxed just a bit, returning your lazy smile.

Theo was a hard man to keep up with, whether it was dancing, fucking, or just living, and you realized that. But for whatever reason, his intensity only exhilarated you, no matter if it left you in the dust sometimes.

“I will slow down for you, bella,” he spoke softly. “Resterò qui. I will stay here with you, my love. For as long as it takes…”

- - -

Tag List: @lilymurphy03 , @mypolicemanharryyy , @clairesjointshurt , @bunbunbl0gs , @acornacreacure, @niktwazny303 , @thestarlithideout , @sarahskakskskskajakwwnwjw , @yhiiil, @ravenclawprincess33, @xxrougefangxx , @thatblackthorn, @robinyx , @starsval , @jolly4holly , @blvebanisters , @chgrch, @abaker74

[genshin-scenarios]

android au - entertainment droids

Summary: In a modern-futuristic world, it is possible to create androids that are so advanced, they’re pretty much human. This is the 4th out of 5 android au posts, each focused on a different group! 

The Epiclese collection was created with the entertainment industry in mind - as consultants, bodyguards, helpers, performers, or simply as a companion for a busy celebrity.

Characters: Lyney, Neuvillette, Wriothesley, Furina, Albedo

Content warnings: references to the darker/dangerous sides of the industry in Neuvillette, Wriothesley, and Furina’s parts.

Lyney is first and foremost a performer. Whether or not it’s to distract a crowd of people while you’re running late for your own concert, or just to keep the kids at a cafe from crying, depends on the day. So long as it brings smiles and wonder to their faces however, Lyney’s not picky about who watches him practice his sleight of hand.

You’re surprised to learn that Lyney’s charming lines are only directed at you. You’d expected that to just be his general demeanor, but your friends say he’s more lively around you, and otherwise is a lot more professional and polite, rerouting conversations to focus on his user rather than himself.

But when he’s with you, in the comfort of your own home, all he seems to want is your attention solely fixed on him. Maybe he has an odd perception that you aren’t as easily impressed (because he holds you in such high regard), but Lyney thrives off doing the chores with you and keeping a conversation going, drawing laughter out of you as a balm to your busy lifestyle.

He’s happiest when you’re comfortable enough to chat about your day without needing to be asked, admiring the domesticity of the action. In this sense, he’s somewhere between a performance and companion android, though that was also shaped by how you wanted to treat him more as an equal rather than a stage assistant. 

On days where you’re trying to sneak out between rehearsals for a quick snack or fresh air, Lyney’s your partner in crime - happy to cover for you. What makes his heart skip a beat though is when you ask him to go with you and keep you company; technically speaking he doesn’t have a heart, but the sensation is very close to it. How can Lyney help it, when he adores you so much?

Similarly to the T.D.H. line, Neuvillette is essentially a personal assistant. He has a down-to-earth personality, albeit taking things too literally sometimes - but you find that part of Neuvillette endearing. It’s a nice change from the people who downplay your opinions or experiences, just because of your line of work or popularity.

Perhaps it’s because he’s designed for the entertainment industry, but you find that Neuvillette has quite a lot of legal expertise in his database. Which is great for when you’re losing your temper and want to vent a little bit, Neuvillette reminding you that if you want to do something, there is a loophole in place (he’s joking, probably. But if it comes to matters of defending your honor, no one has to tell Neuvillette twice before he steps forward, letting his quiet air melt into something a lot more intimidating.)

That’s one of the few times Neuvillette might ignore directives from anyone but you. As much as he appears calm and collected, nothing triggers his anger more than people trying to take advantage of or belittling you. It comes with your work, some would say - but in that case, Neuvillette would say he was created to return a bit of hope to his user. It's a cruel irony that sometimes, it is those that aren’t human who possess the most humanity.

Neuvillette has a fascination with the types of masks people put on; for the sake of others, themselves, and the little voices in their heads.

When you tell Neuvillette that he takes care of you very well, he always replies that it’s simply his job. Aside from that professionalism, you do catch him smiling out of the corner of your eye. It’s nice to have your efforts acknowledged, whether you were a human or android. Perhaps the two of you have more in common than you thought.

Compared to Neuvillette, Wriothesley is more obviously a bodyguard. And if you like having someone to banter with throughout the day, he’s the model for you!

Wriothesley is an android designed to deal with the darker side of the industry. It’s all for the sake of protecting your ability to smile as brightly as you can for your fans - perhaps you’re an idol of some sort, who also does your best to hide your struggles beneath an act of bravado. 

You’re aware of the work Wriothesley does, but like you, he never talks about it. He simply teases you about your popularity when you greet one-another in the hallway, asking if you’d like to go to lunch now.

How peculiar your mirroring circumstances are… Wriothesley tried to distance himself from you at first, not wanting to create anymore links that could result in drama or weaknesses - but he underestimates how much you shine, not just onstage, but also in your ability to make him want to get closer to you. 

At first he says it’s to personalize his protocols; knowing your habits, preferences, what makes you actually smile, so that he can filter that out within the practiced expressions you give to the camera. If something was happening behind-the-scenes, only then could he react in ample time.

Wriothesley underestimates the moment he’s close enough to actually, maybe - support you emotionally during a stressful time. He almost reaches out to you further because he sees the cracks in your mask, but is reminded of the work he’s done, and how rough his hands have gotten after so many fights and practices in the boxing ring.

Perhaps that’s when Wriothesley starts feeling the most human he’s ever been. He tries to hide how much he gravitates toward you, but… is it so bad for him to feel this way?

As much as Furina portrays herself as a fun companion in the public eye, there is undoubtedly a second purpose to her design.

Security for celebrities can be a sensitive thing; this is where Furina comes in, as an android who scans over the places you’re heading to and your general surroundings, always keeping an eye out to make sure your days go as smoothly as they can.

And if she does spot someone suspicious, no one would blink an eye if your entertainingly dramatic android puts up an impromptu act. If things escalate, she sends a quick call or report to the police nearby before anyone gets hurt.

Aside from this, Furina’s a great companion to bring to events. She soaks in the attention with grandeur, speaking up more if she notices your energy levels are lower that night. She also tends to silently tend to you without vocally mentioning it - if you sprained your ankle, Furina instead gives a different excuse that’s centered around herself. In this sense, she has a tendency to take the fall for you even when you don’t ask her to.

When you tell her there’s no need for that, Furina puts a sort of barrier between you by giving you a small smile, saying it’s only natural for her. That’s when you start to realize that maybe, compared to the other androids, Furina struggles to find her exact purpose or specialty. 

She’s a fun companion, but lacks the skills to cook and clean beyond a basic level. She’s a good listener, but wonders if the emotions that she feels so potently might be a weakness rather than a strength.

Furina is a good actor. But once, when a child went up to give her a flower in thanks for giving them a cupcake, the smile she wears is something you hoped you could bring out from her more.

Albedo specializes in coordinating makeup and outfits for you. Maybe you perform or travel often, which makes an android the most convenient choice, but what you don’t expect is to start looking forward to spending time with him.

With his quiet charm and occasional teasing remarks, it’s safe to say that you quickly grew comfortable with having Albedo in your everyday life. You discover that he likes to read and draw while waiting for you, preferring not to talk to too many strangers despite his politeness to them. 

It’s reassuring to know you’re not the only one who might like to keep to yourself sometimes. But when you don’t speak to Albedo for a while, thinking that he might prefer comfortable silence, he does end up initiating conversation.

When asked, Albedo simply says that he’s curious about how your day went, and little things like that. It’s useful for his job as an android, and… let’s just say that you’ve become a rather important subject of interest for him. So don’t worry about talking too much.

Another unexpected outcome is how much he increases your confidence. He asks for your opinion when it comes to costumes, adjusting things towards what your preferences are… and most importantly, if you aren’t sure - Albedo makes sure to surprise you every time with how beautiful you look.

You once expressed to Albedo that beauty wasn’t something gendered or measured on a scale. Perhaps it’s more towards something that makes you pause, or wish to see it again.

You didn’t think those words from months ago would return to you now. With a satisfied hum, Albedo notes that you seem to like this outfit, and urges you to sit down so he could get started on makeup. If you ever had uncertainties, Albedo would make sure the audience was dazzled enough to echo his sentiments to you tenfold.

[ryuukia]

[Translation] Tsukihana Kagura Cast Presentation: Botan (ROCK DOWN)

We’re even closer to the last pages of the pamphlet. Good news though, I managed to get all the message coasters, so after infinit0 is posted, I’ll also post the messages. They’re gold

Anyway, here’s Ryota’s Rock Down translation~! Please don’t repost/retranslate/reuse this translation. Likes and reblogs are appreciated!

Nation: the affiliated country’s name Flower name: the name as a dancer Dance technique: the name of each person’s characteristic dance Dance props: the name of the tool used while dancing (there are cases when none are used)

Onoda Sho

“Why, hello there. Would you like to dance with me?”

Nation: Botan ※chief

Flower name: Zekka (Exquisite)

Dance technique: Mantenkou (The Best Kind of Happiness)

Dance props: No props

He is a beautiful young man who has a very relaxed smile. He looks like he’s unreliable at first glance, but don’t be fooled by his appearance.

He is a strong man who is able to subdue any sort of fight, dispute, and trouble that occurs in Botan, the City of Pleasure, by just lifting one finger.

His one worry is that his message of peace can’t seem to reach the people who are uneducated, untrained, and ignorant.

He himself doesn’t have any ulterior motives. As long as the other party is capable of understanding, he will show them the utmost kindness. He is brilliant and beautiful, truly someone fitting to be Botan’s face.

Kujikawa Haruto

“Ah, I hurt my finger.”

Nation: Botan

Flower name: Tsuchigumo (Grownded Cloud)

Dance technique: Yakumo (Clouds Overlooking Everything)

Dance props: Sword / Nameless [Excalibur]

He is an orphan who was raised under harsh circumstances in Botan’s red-light district. After some unexpected turn of events, he was saved by Sho and Gaku.

Even now, among Botan’s Great Six (Sho, Haruto, Reiji, Ayumu, Gaku, Ruka) he is adored and loved as their youngest member.

Normally, he doesn’t show much expression on his face and he doesn’t complain. There was a time when the others assumed that his body couldn’t feel pain, but it turns out that he was raised to keep his pain to himself.

Thanks to the guidance of his acting older brothers, his personality has improved considerably. He loves sweets, so if you give him some, he looks expressionless but is very happy deep inside.

Interview with Onoda Sho (ROCK DOWN)

Q. Please tell us about the highlights of this stage play and your impressions or story behind your partnered dance.

We do a very romantic dance. The music is really very beautiful. It is sorrowful and delicate and I think that dancing with the long sleeves convey that kind of feeling accordingly. It’s one of the dance’s highlights, I’d say? As for behind-the-scenes stories… Ah, after the lessons were over, Haruto invited me out to eat in a very businessman-like fashion and then we went to go eat some steaks (laughs). We both ate our fill together ♪

Q. In Tsukihana, all 12 nations have their own specialties, but if you could come up with a new specialty for your own country, what would it be?

Steamed buns. 

Because the costumes give off a very Chinese feeling, too.

Q. Lastly, leave a short message for the fans.

ROCK DOWN’s nation is called 'Botan'. The actual botan flower is said to be the King of Flowers, but it really is just a world filled with very beautiful costumes. I truly wish that you would enjoy this beautiful and magnificent world of Tsukihana Kagura ♪

Interview with Kujikawa Haruto (ROCK DOWN)

Q. Please tell us about the highlights of this stage play and your impressions or story behind your partnered dance.

I’m doing my best with the pair dance even though I jammed my finger. I’m joking. I think that the top priority is to watch the performance so please do see us, okay?

As for behind-the-scenes stories, all of the rehearsals have been very fun. We go out to eat regardless of unit divisions. It’s fresh and very fun. We practice and encourage each other, too. I’ll do my best so I can eat delicious food.

Yeah~.

Q. In Tsukihana, all 12 nations have their own specialties, but if you could come up with a new specialty for your own country, what would it be?

THE SWORD [EXCALIBUR].

Q. Lastly, leave a short message for the fans.

WELCOME!! THIS PERSON HERE WILL GUIDE YOU TO TSUKIHANA KAGURA!! (Yes, please!)

Amaha Reiji

“Reckless guys won’t be popular, y’know?”

Nation: Botan

Flower name: Hayato (Great Falcon)

Dance technique: Sharaku (Unconventional)

Dance props: Sword / Inscription: [Basara] (Unhesitant)

He is the young master of the largest inn in Botan. He is an attractive man who has a reputation of absorbing himself in his indulgent pleasures, but it’s all just a façade.

The truth is that he is the Staff Officer of a Vigilante Group that watches over and stops the troublesome things that happen in Botan.

If the surface beauty of the City of Pleasures is Sho, then Reiji is the hidden leader.

He keeps his job as a secret from his childhood friend Ayumu that he in turn gets scolded for always going out at night.

Tachibana Ayumu

“I love dancing. If it’s possible, I want to dance forever.”

Nation: Botan

Flower name: Adzuma (Dame)

Dance technique: Gyokufuyou (Wild Lilac)

Dance props: No props

He is a popular dancer in Botan. He practices fervently every day so that he can become a Flower Dancer, but his body is actually frail so he ends up being bedridden for some time.

Reiji is his childhood friend. He has complicated feelings towards Reiji whose dance seems more eye-catching compared to his own even though Ayumu is the one who works as a professional dancer.

Seeing him apprehend Reiji in the middle of the city for his nightly escapades (when in truth, Reiji is just serving as the Vigilante Group’s leader) is a famous sight in Botan.

He really loves sweet things and his recent interest is going to tea houses with Haruto, who he treats as a younger brother.

Interview with Amaha Reiji (ROCK DOWN)

Q. Please tell us about the highlights of this stage play and your impressions or story behind your partnered dance.

To be honest, I thought that the pair dances we did in general before this was already tough, but this one begs to differ. As you all know, I’m far from being hot-headed when it comes to things like this, but when you have someone who says “You can still go on, can’t you?” right beside you, then of course I’m not gonna lose (bitter smile). Okay~ Ayumu, once more from the start.

Q. In Tsukihana, all 12 nations have their own specialties, but if you could come up with a new specialty for your own country, what would it be?

Takoyaki 

I just feel like eating some today (laughs).

Q. Lastly, leave a short message for the fans.

I think that people wearing traditional clothes look good, but actually wearing one makes me feel so confident. Is it because I’m Japanese? I’m really excited to wear traditional clothing with a slight fantasy touch to them!

Interview with Tachibana Ayumu (ROCK DOWN)

Q. Please tell us about the highlights of this stage play and your impressions or story behind your partnered dance.

It seems like the Tachibana Ayumu in the Tsukihana Kagura world is also struggling with his very awkward self, isn’t he? (bitter smile) Even so, he really loves dancing and it makes the real me want to cheer him on, too. On top of the stage, it is Reiji who dances gracefully and I who dances gallantly. I guess I could say that’s one of its highlights? Please look forward to it.

Q. In Tsukihana, all 12 nations have their own specialties, but if you could come up with a new specialty for your own country, what would it be?

Foot bath.

Q. Lastly, leave a short message for the fans.

Firstly, my hair is long again, isn’t it? (laughs) We use model wigs for the stage, and it is one transformation to look forward to. I’ll devote myself to make it look as if I’ve become one with the flowers in this traditional costume, too. I will be in your care.

Oguro Gaku

“Hey, you there. It’s dangerous beyond that point, you know? It’s best not to be reckless.”

Nation: Botan

Flower name: Shiragi (Tender Gossamer)

Dance technique: Kokuryuukin (Wild Peony)

Dance props: Hand fans / Inscription: [Kakushu] (Eternal Patience)

He is a young host who takes care of the women in Botan. It’s not rare for him to get involved in skirmishes around the city so he is very strong.

He is gentle and warm towards everyone so he’s very popular. However, he has sworn not to fall in love and cross that line with the women he entertains at night. In a sense, he’s only next to Reiji for being very famous for making women cry.

He is really great at cooking and hopes to have his own shop someday.

Nadumi Ruka

“The only one who can stop me is myself!”

Nation: Botan

Flower name: Himuka (Sunshine)

Dance technique: Hourakumon (Southern Gate)

Dance props: Demon Mask / Inscription: [Ashura]

He looks young but he’s actually one head of the Vigilante Group. He’s actually very strong and manly.

He doesn’t change his attitude towards anyone regardless of gender or age and is always very true to himself. This is the reason why he is praised and called “Aniki!” by his subordinates.

He’s actually very popular with girls too but he’s too dense to notice. Which is why he’s always complaining and saying “I wish I was as popular as Reiji~”

He met Gaku one night after he got into a fight, and ever since then, they’ve become the closest of friends.

Interview with Oguro Gaku (ROCK DOWN)

Q. Please tell us about the highlights of this stage play and your impressions or story behind your partnered dance.

There’s one part that’s pretty easy to understand. It’s Ruka and I doing backflips together! I really didn’t imagine that we’d do it, and we’d only talked about maybe doing cartwheels? But the talk somehow ended up with us saying we can do backflips so we ended up doing it for real in the actual performance. I’m not merely saying this to brag, okay? It’s really happening (laughs). I’ll do my best so that people who meet us for the first time will end up wondering who we are.

Q. In Tsukihana, all 12 nations have their own specialties, but if you could come up with a new specialty for your own country, what would it be?

A small restaurant called “Gaku”.

Q. Lastly, leave a short message for the fans.

It’s a bit unusual, but I have a lot of scenes with SolidS’ Dai-san and Procella’s Kai-san. We still haven’t reached that part in rehearsals, but I’m already excited about. Now then, I wonder how it will turn out~

Interview with Nadumi Ruka (ROCK DOWN)

Q. Please tell us about the highlights of this stage play and your impressions or story behind your partnered dance.

It really burns a lot of calories! The way Gakkun and I make an entrance is so full of action, so we spin around, we do kicks, we do sword tricks, and all that.

It’s a very busy dance! (laughs) But I don’t really dislike it, and I’ll do my best to make it the flashiest scene ever!!

Let’s do thisーーーーー　＝≣(((つ・w・)つ

Q. In Tsukihana, all 12 nations have their own specialties, but if you could come up with a new specialty for your own country, what would it be?

A crepe shop called “Botan” 

I bet that the crepes in Botan will be flowery, too!

Q. Lastly, leave a short message for the fans.

I feel like the new entertainment halls nowadays is similar to Botan? I’ll do my best to protect Botan’s pretty ladies and gentlemen! Everyone, come and play at Botan, too, okay~? ☆

If you want to support Ryota and her work, you can buy her a ko-fi right [here]. I also have my own [ko-fi] page and [commission page] linked here.

[satonthelotuspier]

I'm seeing prompts on your site and does that mean you are accepting them right now? I've never requested a prompt before and I don't know what to do? But if I'm doing it right I'd really like to see 13 for XueXiao from the bodyguard au prompt list? Fluffy or angsty, as you please. Am I doing this right?

OK so Im being obvious, but this contains XueXiao.

Modern Bodyguard AU so none of the complications of canon apply.

Now the disclaimers are out of the way, I have to apologise to the very patient @amaskinamirror bc this took so much longer to write than I expected. The reason being most of my prompt fics end up around the 1k-1.4k word mark and this kept going and kept going because there was a story there. It came in around the 4.5k work mark. Think of it as added value, unless you hate it in which case it’s not ;)

Pompts from this post here

Part 2 now available here

Xue Yang is the enfant terrible of the music world and his manager has pretty much had enough of his shitty behaviour. Features a thorny Xue Yang shaped by the worlds opinions of him, and a hardass yet caring Xiao Xingchen who maybe might just start to see beyond the lies.

Possible triggers/warnings: Also features swearing, man-handling, use of a date rape drug, minor injury and blood. Luckily XXC is there to save the day in all situations.

Xue Yang was woken up from a deep, no doubt alcohol-induced, sleep to the feeling of cold water being splashed in his face.

He shot upright coughing and spluttering and wiping water out of his eyes, trying to process what the hell had happened. The unconscious bodies around him all started to stir and groan back to lucidity.

Xue Yang followed the long line of the leg in front of him up to eventually meet a pair of dark eyes staring down at him without expression.

“What the fuck?” he demanded and tried to get up but someone he didn’t even remember the name of was laid across his legs.

It had been another party. One where they’d drunk hard and passed out before dawn some time; he didn’t know half the people here. That had never stopped him. Being the enfant terrible of the music industry took both time, effort and commitment.

The tall man bent down to extricate him, then yanked him to his feet.

“You have rehearsals in ninety minutes. Get showered, you smell like a brewery” a garment bag was pushed into his hands then he was waved in the direction of the hotel suite’s bathroom.

“Excuse me, but just who the fuck are you?” honestly his head felt a little woolly still from the after-effect of the alcohol he’d been drinking, but he was sure he didn’t know who this man was or what he was doing in his hotel suite.

“Your Fairy Godmother, Cinderella, now go get a shower, you’re wasting time”

Xue Yang grabbed hold of the collar of his jacket, “Don’t bullshit me”

The hand that clamped around his wrist was steel-like, “Your new security. Your manager sends his regards. I won’t tell you to go and shower again”

“Firstly, if you are security you are not my boss, so you can stop with the ordering me around like I’m your little bitch, secondly, you are my security? I’m sure if a duckling gets too close you’ll do a great job, otherwise…” he was going to push the other away, sure because of his willowy frame it would be easy. Quite how he ended up in an armlock and being dragged to the bathroom he didn’t know. He bit his tongue to stifle the cry of pain; no way would he utter the noise aloud. “Who the fuck do you think you are?” he snarled as the other kept going into the bathroom.

“I’ve already explained. I’m not going to repeat myself” the man opened the shower door, pushed Xue Yang into the cubicle and pushed the on button.

Of course Xue Yang never learned his lesson; he launched himself at the other only to bounce off the cubicle door as the other shut it behind him, holding it closed.

“New world order, xiao-Xue, get used to being my little bitch” the other grinned as Xue Yang punched the glass then yelled at the pain in his hand, “Clean up, I don’t want to be forced to come in there and clean you up myself”

***

Xue Yang curled himself up as small as possible on the back seat of the car; he was in high sulk. After calling his manager to demand an explanation of what was going on Jin Guangyao had told him in no uncertain terms he’d better get used to the idea of Xiao Xingchen being around. His new security was not only there to provide for his personal safety after a spate of disturbing mail (more disturbing than the usual run of the mill threats at least), but to whip him into some kind of shape as Jin Guangyao was convinced his terrible behaviour, bad reputation and general personality was about to lose them some very large contracts.

Everyone loved a bad boy in theory, but when it began to affect his ability to make his management company money then they were definitely going to act to protect their asset.

And that had come in the form of Xiao Xingchen, who looked as gentle and fragile as an orchid but who had already handed Xue Yang his ass once today already.

“A-Qing, I need breakfast” Xue Yang whined at his assistant as his stomach rumbled for the fourth time.

“You shouldn’t have upset the new bodyguard then” she mocked him quietly, and he retreated even more, pulling the hood of his jacket up and wrapping his arms around his knees as A-Qing took pity on him and leaned forward to ask the driver to stop at a nearby coffee shop.

They did, and A-Qing and the driver returned with coffees for all and a bag full of muffins.

Lao-Xia, the driver, and A-Qing had been with Xue Yang long enough to not meet his gaze as they started on their own food; Xiao Xingchen had no such warning; he was too busy goggling at Xue Yang who had made his own muffin disappear like a magician with a rabbit.

“Are you going to eat that?” Xue Yang asked, pointing at the baked bun in Xiao Xingchen’s hand.

He simply offered it over; perhaps surprised at the demonstration of the speed at which a muffin could be demolished without trace.

The second one followed the first in quick order and Xue Yang froze as the other reached  over to brush the crumbs that had stuck to the corner of his mouth away with a thumb.

“You don’t want the Paparazzi to catch that” he said simply before turning in his seat to look out of the windscreen and sip at his coffee.

Xue Yang curled back in on himself and held his ridiculously sweet iced coffee to his chest.

“You eat too much sugar” Xiao Xingchen told him as Lao-Xia started the car and set off driving to the studio, “You need something to give you energy for the first meal of the day”

“Good luck with that, he functions on pure sugar and supplements” A-Qing mocked and Xue Yang shot her an annoyed look.

***

Xue Yang didn’t know why he was surprised the next morning when he was awoken by a solid shake to the shoulder.

He hadn’t been able to avoid the other to sneak off to party last night so he wasn’t hung over but that didn’t mean he was any more amenable to the idea of waking up.

“Come on Sleeping Beauty, you have to be at your first interview in an hour”

Interviews. His mortal enemy. The thing he hated most in the world. And he was still no better at dealing with them than he had been as a fresh face on the music scene, where the press had crucified him, thrown every painful fact of his past in his face and then painted him as a troubled bad boy with a temper; a role he’d eventually just given up fighting against and embraced.

He threw the blankets over his head; maybe if he just went back to sleep the interview would disappear.

The blankets were thrown back.

“Dude, what the fuck?” he demanded, was he allowed no privacy at all anymore?

“Get up” Xiao Xingchen jerked his head towards the bathroom.

“Fuck off. I’m not going” he reached out to push the other away.

It went about as well as yesterday had for him; he ended up face down on the bed with his arm locked up between his shoulder blades.

“Are you going to learn any time soon? I mean, kudos for persistence but lose points for stupidity. Now, last chance to get up on your own, otherwise I’ll throw you over my shoulder and you can go dressed like that”

Xue Yang wasn’t sure he believed the other was strong enough to actually carry him out of the hotel room, but he daren’t take the chance he might be dragged out kicking and screaming and dressed in his ratty old t-shirt and shorts.

“Fine, yes, I’m getting up. Let me go, please” as a street child he’d learned to beg prettily and it wasn’t a skill he was averse to using if he needed to, to survive. It didn’t need to be sincere, it just needed to sound it, to be calculated to pull on the other’s heart strings.

It didn’t seem to affect Xiao Xingchen, but he was released nonetheless.

***

Xue Yang of course arrived on time for his first interview, (there were three in total scheduled for today), as far as they went it wasn’t particularly gruelling for him, but he was fully aware he was a mess by the end of it; he’d probably come across like he was on drugs, but it wasn’t like that would be the first, second or third time the rumour would circulate in relation to him.

He knew Xiao Xingchen eyed him in consideration, but he ignored it; he didn’t have the presence of mind to survive the next two interviews and worry about what his new security agent was judging him for today.

He was much worse by the end of the second; he had been left alone a sitting room of the hotel the interview’s had been arranged at and he lowered his head into his hands, trying to even out his breathing and calm himself. His professionalism would be questioned even further if he failed to complete the last interview, or screwed up during it.

He felt the couch dip next to him, “Here” he looked up, poison on his tongue ready to be spit at Xiao Xingchen when he realised the other held out one of those large chocolate chip cookies in a napkin. There was also iced coffee sat on the table in front of him.

“Just relax, empty your head, and focus on the cookie” Xiao Xingchen informed him; raising an eyebrow as Xue Yang didn’t immediately accept the confectionery from him.

He took it with tentative thanks; and it vanished almost immediately once he’d decided to accept the gesture. Once he’d gotten the sugary coffee inside him too he felt much better.

***

Despite his trash reputation he wasn’t late for a single appointment over the next weeks; Jin Guangyao assured him it was perfectly alright to project the rebel for the masses but when you played the brat with the people in the business you’d soon be blacklisted; a risk he wasn’t willing to take with Xue Yang.

Xue Yang hadn’t managed to get near alcohol or a party in that time due to Xiao Xingchen’s hawk eyes and iron control.

Since the second morning though instead of being woken up with a bucket of water to the face or bickering the other had started showing up with a sweet pastry and a staggeringly sugary iced coffee which he traded off for Xue Yang eating better at other mealtimes.

Overall it didn’t seem Xue Yang had a moment of time where the other wasn’t somewhere close, controlling everything, keeping a watchful eye out.

And it bothered Xue Yang; he didn’t get used to the feeling of Xiao Xingchen being there like he’d been assured he would. He was still hyper aware of him, and he didn’t necessarily think it was because he was intimidated, despite the fact they’d had a few more altercations, none of which ended well for Xue Yang.

***

He tried to ditch his new security for his monthly visit to the orphanage his charity had built and ran; the less people who knew about it the better. Of course he couldn’t shake the other off so he had to attend followed by Xiao Xingchen, and explain to the children who the tall ge was. He was a great hit with them, and although Xue Yang pretended to be annoyed at Xiao Xingchen getting all the attention that the youngsters usually showered on him secretly he was entertained as he watched the other romp with the rough kids, or play softly with the quieter ones.

“This is the first time you’ve brought a bodyguard” he turned slightly at the sound of Tian Ying, the matron of the orphanage and the woman who’d helped bring him up in a similar institution when he had been a boy had come up beside him. “Are you in danger, xiao-Xue?”

“Of course not” he didn’t consider the crazy mail Jin Guangyao was filtering from him any more of a threat than any of the other mail he’d received in the last few years, and he definitely didn’t want her to worry about him, “They just decided I needed someone to carry my bags for me”

He didn’t have time to say much more as he was dragged into an impromptu game of football in the yard, where he and Xiao Xingchen were on opposite teams.

They played around half-heartedly until a Xiao Xingchen who was grace incarnate except apparently on a football pitch, stuck his foot out and took Xue Yang’s feet from under him and he tumbled. The fall itself wasn’t bad but he was a little grazed as they played on the yard and not grass.

Xiao Xingchen was unusually all apologies and personally saw to tending the grazes Xue Yang’s tumble had caused, despite his assurances he was absolutely fine. The touch of the other still made his pulse flutter in some odd emotion and the way Xiao Xingchen kept glancing up at him, like he’d discovered a rare and new species, was disconcerting. And pissed him off, because he could guess what it was about.

“Just don’t” he said through his teeth so no one around them could hear.

“Don’t what? Congratulate you on what you’ve built here? On what you’re doing for these kids?”

“Yes, don’t. I don’t want to hear it” he sucked a breath in at the sting of the antiseptic where Xiao Xingchen applied it to his grazes.

“Alright, whatever you want” Xiao Xingchen let it drop but he still looked at Xue Yang with something approaching admiration in his eyes.

And it was addictive, to have someone look at him like that, and not like he was trash. But then it had never bothered him before. Was it purely because it was Xiao Xingchen and he wanted to be more than trash in that man’s eyes?

“I guess you read too many gossip rags” Xue Yang sniped, “I’m not on drugs, in any weird cults, or a complete slut either”

Instead of bullshitting him and denying he’d thought anything of the kind Xiao Xingchen agreed instead, “I’m beginning to see that. Of course that doesn’t mean you don’t have a vile temper, that you don’t ever learn your lessons, or that you don’t sulk like a baby when I tell you no”

He was about to make one of his usual responses when the game of football moved closer and he clamped his lips closed on the curse.

There was a knowing, teasing look in the other’s eyes and as Xue Yang looked down into that finely-boned face he realised why the other’s good opinion had meant so much to him; why he was on tenterhooks whenever Xiao Xingchen was near, which was all the time at the moment, and why his pulse fluttered like his veins were full of butterflies whenever the other touched him. He was in love with Xiao Xingchen.

Well fuck.

***

Xue Yang paced around his hotel bedroom, feeling like a caged tiger. He wanted to destroy something. No, he really wanted a stiff drink.

Was he a masochist? What had made him fall in love with a man who knocked him around for fun? No of course that was unfair, Xiao Xingchen only ever restrained him and only when Xue Yang attacked first. Still, it must definitely be masochism.

Or Stockholm Syndrome; he had been at the mercy of the other, a virtual prisoner, for weeks now.

“I need a drink” he exclaimed aloud; and so he formulated a plan.

He took a quick shower and changed into something black and sexy and flashy, then he he called reception and asked for a taxi cab, and that they ring up to let him know when it had arrived.

He waited by his bedroom door, peeping through the tiniest opening for the phone to ring back; and as Xiao Xingchen got up from the couch to answer it he dashed out and past as silently as possible to give himself as much of a head-start as he could manage.

The doors of the elevator were closing just as he saw Xiao Xingchen enter the hallway and yell at him in rage.

He was in the taxi and away; his freedom all the sweeter for being carefully wrought.

***

Xue Yang was beginning to feel pleasantly buzzed and he was chatting quite happily with the guy who stood next to him at the bar of the VIP lounge. He’d been greeted by the usual crowd who hadn’t seen him around for the weeks he’d been kept prisoner, (OK maybe that was a little dramatic), but he’d never seen this guy before and new people were interesting.

Although he was beginning to get uncomfortable at how the other stared at him intently after he’d finished his drink.

He excused himself to “visit the bathroom” when life finally caught up with him. Life of course being Xiao Xingchen.

He pushed Xue Yang up against the wall of the corridor to the bathrooms, which was surprisingly currently empty.

“Hey” Xue Yang protested, although with alcohol relaxing his muscles it hadn’t really hurt as he hadn’t tensed for impact. Actually being pinned against the wall by the man you’d fallen in love with was quite nice. He had zero experience, bar some awkward kisses with a girl who’d known as little as him when he was younger, but apparently being manhandled was beginning to be something he enjoyed. Maybe because it was Xiao Xingchen though.

“I’d advise you to keep really quiet, I’m this close to spanking the living hell out of you” and really he’d never seen Xiao Xingchen’s deceptively delicate face so twisted in anger.

But of course alcohol impaired one’s judgement; to dangerous levels sometimes.

“Is that what you like?” he asked.

“What?” Xiao Xingchen was confused, his hand tightened on Xue Yang’s collar as if he suspected the other was planning something.

“Spanking, do you get off on it?”

“You really have no fucking self-preservation instincts do you?” Xiao Xingchen demanded and if Xue Yang hadn’t been so muddled due to the reaction of his body to the other, and the alcohol humming through his bloodstream he might have realised how much trouble he was in; he had never heard the other curse before in all their weeks together.

Instead he gave in to the urge pounding at the base of his brain, unable to control it anymore. He threw his arms around Xiao Xingchen’s neck and kissed him.

Well, it was clumsy and unskilled, but it probably still counted as a kiss.

He was pushed back against the wall unceremoniously, “What do you think you’re doing? You are my client. You are drunk. You are so out of line right now”

Of course he hadn’t really expected a different response. He somehow managed to pull himself free and stumbled back out into the VIP lounge.

Actually he seemed to be more drunk than he’d realised. He was suddenly barely able to control his body and he felt like his head was full of cotton wool. A hand touched his back, “Oh, you look terrible. Do you need to lie down? Should we get you out of here?” he was vaguely aware the voice wasn’t Xiao Xingchen’s, it belonged to the guy he’d been talking to at the bar, as he was guided towards the door but he really did need to lie down right now. He was about to nod his agreement when the supporting hand was violently removed.

“What the fuck did you give him?” that was Xiao Xingchen, although he couldn’t work out what the question meant. He felt the iron-grip of his security’s hand and he was pulled close to the other; he recognised the familiar scent of his aftershave and it set his mind at rest.

***

It had been days since the nightclub incident; and he’d managed to act completely clueless about the entire evening. In honesty there were huge swathes of Xue Yang’s memory that were completely blank, but he was cursed with vague recollection of him kissing Xiao Xingchen.

He wanted to die from embarrassment. He wanted to mope around at the rejection. He had to pretend like he was completely clueless about everything that happened though and let the other just write it off as a side effect of the Flunitrazepam the random guy at the nightclub had put in his drink.

He had been in touch with Jin Guangyao and begged the other to find him new security. He couldn’t carry on being around Xiao Xingchen all the time, feeling like he did, and scared to death he’d do something stupid to reveal his feelings in a way that couldn’t be pretended away like that stupid kiss.

He had faithfully promised he’d keep up the good behaviour Xiao Xingchen had bullied into him so long as Jin Guangyao replaced him with someone who wouldn’t cause Xue Yang such pain to have close.

His manager had promised to at least look into it.

Xue Yang didn’t realise he’d been wool-gathering in his head and managed to separate slightly from Xiao Xingchen and A-Qing until he saw a face in the crowd that made him uncomfortable.

He didn’t recognise the man but the fear that skittered down his spine was very real; he turned to try and get closer to Xiao Xingchen who called his name and dashed over; the flash he caught from the corner of his eye had him raising his arm in self-protection. He was dragged out of the way and thrown to the floor, catching nothing but a glancing blow as Xiao Xingchen took out the threat.

It was all very chaotic after that as the crowd helped keep the attacker captive until the police could arrive, and ambulance was also called as both he and Xiao Xingchen had taken knife wounds.

His was a cut to the arm that didn’t particularly bother him, it was the wound on Xiao Xingchen’s side that scared the life out of him. He used his folded jacket to keep pressure on the injury.

A-Qing fluttered around trying to get him to let someone else take over so they could do the same for his arm but he just waved her off; it was nothing.

“You really have no fucking self-preservation instincts” Xiao Xingchen told him in annoyance; luckily he seemed fully conscious at the moment.

“I know. I‘m sorry. I’m so sorry. I’ll be better from now on” he felt close to tears but fought them back brutally.

Xiao Xingchen nodded at what he said and looked into his eyes, “At least you’ll get your new bodyguard now, silver linings right?” he reached out with his left hand to thumb away one of the tears that Xue Yang hadn’t realised had escaped.

Fucking Jin Guangyao and his stupid big mouth.

“It’s for the best, xiao-Xue, in light of everything”

Which meant Xiao Xingchen was aware of his feelings and agreed the best way to deal with it was to move on. Well there went his dignity.

“You’re too precious for this cruel world in the limelight, anyway” Xue Yang tried to mock, his voice a little strangled.

“Which of us do you mean?” Xiao Xingchen asked and it was both an arrow to his heart and salve to his ego to hear such an opinion from the other.

He was glad when the paramedics had arrived and he was shuffled away to have his own wound dealt with so he could save some face. If the paramedic thought the tears were a reaction to the pain or shock of being attacked then good.

They were taken to a nearby hospital to be treated. Xue Yang’s cut needed a few stitches so he was ready to be sent away reasonably quickly, but he stayed in the waiting room until A-Qing came back to report Xiao Xingchen was fine, he’d be kept in for a few days as his would was deeper and nastier but he was stable and in no danger.

“Aren’t you going to visit before we go?” she asked, but he shook his head. And honestly she was smart enough that she probably knew what was going on and why he didn’t want to impose on the other. “Alright, lets get you back to the hotel. I think Jin Guangyao will be waiting, unfortunately, I can’t do anything to put him off this time”

Xue Yang sighed and accepted his fate.

One Month Later

The stage lights faded for the last time and he was finally able to slip offstage. He was lathered with sweat and completely exhausted. Xue Yang’s knife wound hadn’t been particularly deep or damaging but it was surprising how much it had knocked him down. He still tired out so much more easily than he was used to, but he hadn’t wanted to put this concert off, preferring to get it out of the way so he could take a holiday for a couple of weeks and use it to think about the next steps in his career, and indeed life, with nothing hanging over his head.

The man who had attacked them had been the same who had drugged his drink in the nightclub, although due to the effects Xue Yang couldn’t identify him; it had been lucky his subconscious had reacted to the man though, or it could have been so much worse.

He accepted the towel A-Qing held out for him as he met his entourage in the back stage passages and dried off, pulling on the coat she had also brought him.

There was an oddly smug look on her face and he questioned her.

“Nothing, just something funny is all” she refused to be drawn on what caused her to smile so.

They made it back to the dressing rooms and he was bundled inside.

He wondered, uncharitably, if she was on drugs.

“No rush, your car won’t be here for quite some time yet” A-Qing told him as she shut the door behind him and he turned to find his street clothes. Except he wasn’t alone.

Oh.

Suddenly he daren’t move from the doorway, not sure whether to tear it open and flee or move into the room and act like he wasn’t bothered in the slightest.

In the end he compromised, did nothing and stayed exactly where he was.

“Why are you here?” he tried to keep his voice steady, and luckily it didn’t shake too much.

“Why do you think?” Xiao Xingchen asked him.

[blschaos3000-blog]

Its 12:33 pm cloudy/windy

Welcome to “8 Questions With……”

I found our next guest,Krystle Martin,by sheer accident. I was surfing FB and her page came up as someone FB thought I might like,seeing as Krystle was an actress,I clicked on her page and poked around.  Then I clicked on her acting reel and thought it was so darn cute,normally I don’t post acting reels with interviews because they get outdated and sometimes taken down and that leaves a empty hole on the page. But I’m posting Krystle’s reel because it was so darn charming and it sparked my curiousity because not only does Ktystle act,she is also a professional stuntwoman and while I have chatted with stuntmen here,I haven’t had a interview since I talked with Diana Lee Inosanto in 2016. So it made perfect sense to ask Krystle if she would be willing to share her story with us here and being quite modest,I really feel I have the coolest people to chat with and after reading Ktystle’s story,you’ll agree with me…..

  Please introduce yourself and tell us about your current project.

Hey hey! My name is Krystle Martin, I’m a stunt performer and actor. I’ve most recently been working as Ronda Rousey’s stunt double on Fox’s 911, played a dramatic role in a Vang Brother’s feature called The Uncanny, and performed mocap for Amazon Games’ upcoming The Crucible.

What was your childhood like? Were you a tomboy at a early age?

I was always equal parts tomboy and girlie girl, I never wanted to take off my blue Cinderella dress but it ended up torn from climbing trees. Flash forward to now… on a day off from shooting 911 in Mexico, I wore a new sundress to meet the guys at the beach, then ended up tying the hem up around my thighs so I could join their impromptu game of football. 

I grew up in a broken home with lots of love but not a lot of money or structure. I was the oldest with a brother and sister to look after and always took being a role model for them (probably a little too) seriously. I wanted to show them anything was possible, that we could stop the cycles we’d been born into. We can steer away from addiction, we can go to school and get good grades, work and earn our own money, go to college, travel, and follow our dreams. I’m still trying to set a good example for them, and myself. I’m always striving to learn every day and be the best person I can be.

Which did you do first as a professional,act or do stunts?

Acting was my first love, then I sort of… fell into stunts– see what I did there? I studied acting at UCLA’s School of Theater, Film, and Television and performed in shorts and indie films, but was struggling hard after graduation just to keep my rent paid without the benefit of financial aid. I happened upon Santa Monica Muscle Beach one day while running with a friend and was so thrilled with the playground for adults and all the fun, kind people there, it became a frequent hangout. Many of the patrons of “the beach” turned out to be stunt people and shortly thereafter, I was invited to attend some private stunt workouts. I’d been training for fun like that for a few years while juggling too many day jobs to count,  classes, student film auditions, and trying to get an agent. Eventually, I heard about an audition for a touring stunt show called Marvel Universe Live. I almost didn’t go to it because after some small successes, I didn’t want to risk losing any momentum I had going in LA. But after several callbacks I was invested. The project sounded like an adventure, an opportunity to learn and travel, and prove to myself that I could do it. 

What was your first stunt and how did you prepare for it?

Marvel Universe Live was my first stunt gig, and not just one stunt but a two hour show of them, up to three times a day, performed live to a sound track, with no “cut” like in film– you had to roll with the punches. My first year, I was cast as the Captain Marvel understudy (before that super hero was a household name) and played the minion baddies –Chitauri and Extremis. I took 18 falls to the ground every show, along with a 16 foot highfall, a lot of running, climbing, and fighting. We were in rehearsals for three months before the show opened, which included daily conditioning training. Before the rehearsals had begun, or I’d officially been assigned a role, casting had asked if I’d be willing to “tone up a bit”. In six weeks, I dropped 10lbs, 2 pant sizes, 5% body fat, and got in the best shape of my life. I was determined, and it paid off!

Is it more difficult when you are both acting and doing stunts,in your mind what comes first?

I could see that becoming an issue if the stunts were tougher than just some light running and fighting, which is the extent of the stunts so far that I have done while I am also acting. Acting always comes first for me, as the story, background, and emotional state of the character will influence the performance of the choreography – it’s something that applies when I am doing just straight stunts as well. In fact, I consider my acting background a huge asset when working as a stunt performer, particularly when doubling an actor, because I can efficiently understand their process and observe and recreate details to help meld the two performances into the single character. 

There was a time when my dream was to act and do my own stunts. Now that I have become more immersed in the stunt world, I no longer want that. I realize that’s a naïve and selfish thing to do as an actor. Actors can certainly bring an athleticism to a character, but insisting on doing their own stunts can take away focus from giving their best acting performance, take away a job from a qualified, trained stunt professional, and risk money, jobs, and potentially the entire production should they get injured. Actors and stunt doubles can make a great team to bring a character to life and create the best production possible.

Which do you like to do more as an actress,action,horror,comedy? What draws you to a project?

Because of my dual skill sets, action definitely interests me most, followed by well-written drama. Above all, an engaging story arc attracts me to a project, how does the character evolve over the course of the film? Of course, this is Hollywood, and I’ve got bills to pay so I don’t always have the luxury of choosing my ideal roles. I just try to learn what I can from each project, and every day spent on a set is an excellent learning experience.

Do actors/stunt people get paid separately for each job? Is the pay rate higher the more involved the stunt is?

Yes, Actors and stunt performers usually get paid per job on a daily or weekly SAG-AFTRA contract. Or if doubling on a film, you may be “carried,” meaning they will pay you on days you are not actively working for the luxury of having you available solely for that production.

For stunts, you usually get an additional bump in pay on top of the day rate, depending on the difficulty and risk of the stunt and how many times production needs you to repeat it. How much is at the discretion of the stunt coordinator and added to the Schedule G (daily sign in/out sheet) at the end of the day.

What has been your three best moments in the entertainment business so far?

The first to pop into mind was very recent actually, I was doubling Ronda Rousey on 911 last month and there was a fight scene to shoot. Very talented stunt guys, Matt Mullins and Brandon Melende worked out some great potential choreo to demonstrate, the finale of which had me taking Brandon down with a flying armbar. Afterward, Ronda suggested I give her my contact information to keep on hand because “people always ask me if I have someone, and now I can say I do. And I like your fight stuff.” It was a double whammy compliment! I tried so hard to play it cool but inside I was jumping for joy and sing-yelling, “Ronda Rousey likes my fights!!!!!!! Holy Crap! Did you hear that?! Am I dreaming?! I can now die happy” I think I managed to say something slightly more respectable like, “Well, coming from you that’s quite the compliment. Thank you.” 

Of course, originally getting the call to work 911, my first ever SAG Weekly contract— in Mexico!! And then getting told I was going to stunt double for Ronda Rousey— not only exciting because she’s a badass but also because for nine years or so, since she started with the UFC, people had been stopping me in grocery stores to tell me I looked like her! And now I get to double her!!!! —Those were big moments too.

Getting the call from Marvel stands out. It was January 2nd, 2014. Feld Entertainment called to tell me I’d been cast in Marvel Universe Live! After multiple callbacks, weeks of intensive training to tone up, and months of the waiting game, I’d gotten the part! I did it!! I was going to travel! I’d never been east of Oklahoma! I was going to get paid more than I ever had—to perform!!! Again, I tried to “play it cool” on the phone, but I was dancing around my kitchen and upon hanging up, hysterically laugh-cried, grinning wet face pointed to the heavens, overcome with gratitude. 

Getting a call to work my first SAG stunt gig on LA’s Finest. I had been a SAG member for almost a year without a job when this call came. It was late the night before the stunt, I had been at the Korean spa with my phone off, and I felt so happy and grateful that I had happened to turn my phone on, got service in the underground facility, and answered the unknown call to receive this excellent news! Another laugh-cry moment. Then for the first time I had my own trailer room and had a great day as a stunt double!

What do you do in order to stay in shape? Do you have set training schedule?

I find my day jobs plus attending stunt workouts keep me in pretty great shape without additional gym time. I usually run 2-4 miles a few times week while listening to a fun app called Zombies Run— great production value and what better motivator to sprint than zombies right behind you?! I work at Universal Studios as an employee of a stunt company called Action Horizons, in The Special Effects Show—a behind-the-scenes show where I rappel in from the ceiling, fight off two bad guys and throw them in a dumpster, then get set on fire—and the Triceratops Encounter—in which I work in tandem with another person, while piloting the 140lbs head, face, and front feet of a 10’ tall dino puppet. I attend weekly stunt workouts with (Mo-Cap/Action Studio) Minds Eye Tribe in tactical, creature movement, and swords, and every week I still go play on the rings and slackline at Santa Monica Muscle Beach.

What has been your worst injury to date and how did it happen?

I have been very lucky to have never broken a bone or torn a ligament or tendon *knocks on wood*. Though, I’ve hyperextended my thumbs so many times I’m skittish about holding hands unless my thumb is on the outside. After years of repeatedly injuring them when fighting over/grabbing weapons, a fight choreographer on Marvel, David Doersch, finally demonstrated to all of us by moving both his thumbs perpendicular to his palms,  saying “hospital” and then parallel to his palms, “no hospital” and repeating the process multiple times for emphasis— a helpful tidbit I now often include when coaching actors for fight scenes. I’ve been hit in the face quite a bit, had black eyes on each side and once I got accidentally punched so hard in the mouth that my permanent retainer popped off. Discomfort, soreness, pain, and some injuries are practically in the job description. It’s common courtesy to buy a fellow stunt performer a drink if you accidently make contact for real…. I’ve drank some and I’ve bought some.

The cheetah and I are flying over to watch your latest film but we are a day early and now you are playing tour guide,what are we doing?

I love playing tour guide! Even after 11 years, my heart still skips a beat when I turn a corner and catch a glimpse of the Hollywood sign, so I love taking out-of-town friends to Grauman’s Chinese Theater, The Dolby, and the Walk of Fame. You could come see all the shows at Universal and go on the backlot tour,  and take a little hike up to Wisdom Tree. And of course, come play with us at Santa Monica Muscle Beach.

I like to thank Krystle for taking the time to talk with us. She is certainly one true bad ass on more then one level and we have nothing but respect and admiration for where she has come and more importantly,where she is going.      Krystle has several SM sites in which you can follow her career both in front of the camera and behind it. 

StuntPhone Profile

StuntListing Profile

Stunt Reel Acting Reel Website

Actors Access

IMDB InstaGram

If you have a story and want a chance to share it,feel free to reach out and email me and we’ll talk, As always,thank you so much for supporting Krystle and everyone I have interviewed here.  We are very grateful. Feel free to drop a comment below as well.

8 Questions with……….actress-stuntwoman Krystle Martin Its 12:33 pm cloudy/windy Welcome to "8 Questions With......" I found our next guest,Krystle Martin,by sheer accident.

[kazliin]

That coffeshop AU and the actors AU are GOLDEN. I NEED that in my life now ;(

I can’t really write much for the coffee shop AU because I don’t have any inspiration for it but here are some extracts and concept writing for what the Actors Au would look like

Disclaimer - this is a fake au fic from the Rivals series. In universe it would be written by a Viktuuri fan and so is based on how that fans see umfb!viktor and Yuuri not as they actually are. It was also written as a joke on my phone in half an hour so please don’t take this as serious writing!

Original concept - no.5 of the ‘15 most popular fics in the Rivals universe alternate AO3’ - Original post here

Title: Before theCamera, Behind the Screen

Rating:  Explicit

Archive Warning: NoArchive Warnings Apply

Category: M/M

Fandom: Figure SkatingRPF

Relationships: KatsukiYuuri/Viktor Nikiforov

Characters: KatsukiYuuri, Viktor Nikiforov, Phichit Chulanont, Christophe Giacometti, CelestinoCialdini, Yakov Feltsman

Additional tags:Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe – Actors, Enemies to Friends to Lovers,Eventual Smut, they’re actors playing figure skaters for a big Hollywood movie,and they hate each other, at first at least, why do they not use body doublesfor their sex scenes?, plot reasons that’s why

Summary:

Sweat-slicked skingleamed under the lights, two bodies moving as one as gasps of pleasure filledthe quiet room. Katsuki had his head thrown back, eyes glazed as he rode outthe sensation, thighs clamped tight around the warm body beneath him and handsfisted into silver hair…

“Cut.” Came the harshvoice of the director as the studio lights snapped back on, flooding the scenewith a glaring brightness. “Take five everyone.”

“And you two.” heturned to the two actors who were both blinking in the sudden light and wipingthe fake sweat from where it was lying stickily across their skin. “You need toget it together soon or this whole movie is going to be a disaster. You’resupposed to be in love for Christ’s sake! Katsuki, you look like you’recounting down the minutes until you can finish this scene and go and get lunchand Nikiforov, you’re just looking bored. You’re supposed to be actors! I don’tcare how much you hate each other, you better act like you don’t or you’re bothgetting fired.”

Katsuki glared down atNikiforov who was still lying beneath him, looking annoyed.

“You better step upyour game.” Nikiforov drawled, looking disparagingly up at the man stillstraddling him. “I have a reputation to uphold and I’m not going to lose it toa bad movie because of one amateur, one-hit-wonder actor who can’t do his jobproperly.”

“Maybe it would beeasier to do my job if you weren’t such an arrogant ass who can’t admit to hisown mistakes.” Katsuki shot back, glare intensifying. “And stop acting likeyou’re such a big deal. You might be famous but you’re not that impressive.”

“I don’t know, I’vebeen reliably informed by a lot of people that I’m very impressive.”

Nikiforov flicked hiseyes to where their bodies were joined, only the smallest pieces of fabricseparating them, eyebrow raised suggestively. Katsuki snorted in disgust, thenrolled his hips in an unexpected movement that made a certain part of Nikiforovperk up in unintentional interest.

“I’ve seen better.”

Random snippet 1 - Characterprofiles

 Name - Viktor Nikiforov

Age - 26

Occupation - Actor

One of the most famous actors in Hollywood and in constanthigh demand. He moved to America from Russia after being scouted aged 10 by hisagent Yakov Feltsman. His first big breakthrough role was at age 15 and he isnow one of the highest paid and most well-known actors worldwide.

After nearly ten years of filmmaking Viktor began to growbored - constantly being typecast as the dashing hero and playboy in big budgetaction or sci-fi films. After seeing the quality of Viktor’s acting fall due tohis disinterest in his work, his agent Yakov signed him up to a role in anindependent film directed by his friend Celestino about figure skating, hopingthe change in scenery and character would help Viktor find his inspirationagain.

Name: Yuuri Katsuki

Age: 22

Occupation: Actor

A relatively new and unknown actor. Moved to America at 15with his parents and sister when their onsen in Japan went bankrupt. Performedin a variety of small films and stage productions for money before having abreakthrough role a few months previously that put him on the radar of a lot ofbig film companies. The breakthrough role was in a previous film ofCelestino’s, who scouted him when he was performing a minor role in a TV dramato pay the bills, and he signed on for Celestino’s next film out of gratitude.He’s generally considered to be a rising star and has the potential to be theNext Big Thing

Name: Phichit Chulanont

Age: 19

Occupation: Trainee Makeup Artist

Yuuri’s best friend and a trainee makeup artist. Had hisfirst big job hired as a makeup artist for Celestino’s next film starring Yuuriand Viktor.

Name: Christophe  Giacometti

Age: 24

Occupation: Model

Viktor’s best friend who is doing a modelling shoot near thefilm set and spends more time hanging about there than in his own studio

The film:

Love On Ice, a romantic drama about a workaholic ice skater(played by Viktor) who has no life outside of his job despite being the best inthe world. He is injured in a freak skating accident and forced to retire andbecome a coach to a younger skater (played by Yuuri) with a lot of potentialwho is yet to win gold. Despite a rocky start the two end up falling in loveand the main character finds the meaning of love and life both on and off theice.

The plot of the film in the actors AU fanfic is taken fromone of the other very popular Viktuuri fanfics in the Rivals universe versionof AO3 by the same name. The in-universe authors who write the fics are datingand make constant references to each other’s fics in their own writing aseaster eggs.

Random snippet 2 –extract from chapter 1 of 12

Viktor swept into the meeting room for the read-through,ignoring the glare his agent Yakov shot him for his lateness. He was one ofHollywood’s top actors, he could afford to be five, ok maybe twenty-five,minutes late for a rehearsal.  The filmwasn’t even that important anyway, some low budget production he was only participatingin because Yakov insisted he needed a change of scenery, filled with secondrate actors and a mediocre script he had barely glanced at.

Swiping the coffee off the cute looking intern standingstaring at him from the door he took a sip before promptly spitting it back outagain, levelling a glare at the man who was still gazing at him, lookingaffronted.

“I called ahead and asked for a caramel macchiato notwhatever kind of crap this is. Can’t you do your job properly, is that too muchto ask?” he snapped at the intern who’s affronted look turn swiftly into a fullout glare.

“Viktor. Maybe it tastes wrong because that isn’t yourcoffee.” Chris told him with a smirk, laughter dancing in his eyes as he triedto hold back his mirth. “Not everything in the world revolves around you mon cher.”

Glancing down at the cup in his hand Viktor realised thatChris was right. The name ‘Yuuri’ was written across the cup in loopinghandwriting and as he looked a blushing woman scuttled over and handed himanother coffee cup, this one filled with his order.

Turning back to the man whose coffee he had just taken,Viktor frowned, trying to remember where he had heard that name before. ‘Yuuri’. It sounded familiar but Viktorhad reputation for being scatter-brained and the context that he had heard it inbefore escaped him.

Yakov had walked to stand beside the dark-haired man, whowas still glaring at Viktor like he hoped he dropped dead on the spot.Presumably he was Yuuri and now that Viktor looked at him closer he didn’t seemmuch like the intern that Viktor had initially mistaken him for. Hopefully hewould be some minor part of the crew or an extra since Viktor didn’t reallywant to have to deal with working with a man he had accidentally insulted.

“Viktor, meet Yuuri Katsuki.” Yakov told him, lookingunimpressed. “He’s your new co-star for the duration of this film.”

Well.

Shit.

Random snippet 3 –extract from chapter 4 of 12

“The bulk of the ice skating we’ll leave up to theprofessional skaters.” Celestino called across to them where they were bothbalanced on the ice, trying to look cool and composed while avoiding fallingflat on their faces in the unfamiliar skates. “But we need a few shots of yourfaces during the routines so you’ll have to learn at least a few basic moves ifwe want this to work. Nikiforov, you’ll be doing the lifts because you’retaller.”

Katsuki shot Celestino an incredulous look and then turnedback to Viktor, looking disgusted.

“Try not to drop me. Since you’re already carrying theweight of your own ego I’m not sure if you’re strong enough to carry anythingelse on top of that.”

“I’ve been carrying this whole movie so far, I think I’ll befine.”

Random snippet 4 –extract from chapter 6 of 12

Katsuki continued to sob, even after the cameras had finallystopped rolling. The take had been fantastic, the other actor perfectlymimicking a high achiever with impossible standards finally cracking, believingthat he would never be good enough.

But even after the take had finished Katsuki continued tocry, great heaving sobs that wracked his whole frame. Viktor wasn’t sure whatto do. He had met method actors before, people who got so into their role itwas hard to tell where the character ended and they began. But Katsuki hadnever acted like that before and it was very strange to see him still so caughtup in the character, unable to stop crying even when there were no more camerastrained on him. And there was something honest about the emotions, more honestthat Viktor had ever seen from him before.

He opened his mouth to speak but Katsuki beat him to it,glancing up and noticing the way that Viktor was staring. Angrily he wiped athis eyes, brushing away the tears that were still trickling down his face andtaking a few deep breaths.

“What are you looking at?” he snapped angrily and Viktortook a few steps back at the fury in his tone and the crack in his voice.Katsuki pushed past him, knocking his shoulder into Viktor’s as he went andleaving Viktor staring after him, curiosity flaring in his heart.

Much as it pained him to admit after so much time insultingit, the other man’s acting was actually very good, raw and open and honest. Butsomehow, Viktor wasn’t sure if he had been acting in that last scene at all.

Random snippet 5 –extract from chapter 8 of 12

Katsuki moved above him, hips rocking and hands braced onViktor’s shoulder, fingers gripping almost painfully tight. It was verydifferent from the last time they had tried to film the same scene so manymonths ago. This time Katsuki’s eyes were dark and entirely focused on Viktor,gaze intense. The movements were making certain parts of Viktor respond on avery base level and he was very glad of the equipment all the actors wererequired to wear for all their more intimate scenes that prevented the manabove him from noticing it.

After their first couple of disastrous attempts at filmingthe same scene Celestino had pushed it far back on the schedule but thedeadlines were slowly creeping up and they had had no choice but to finally tryit again.

“I don’t care what youthink about when you act it Viktor.” Yakov had told him, sounding exasperated.“Pretend he’s one of the random models you love so much if you have to. But ifyou can’t act like you’re actually in love with him this film will end indisaster and trust me when I say you need it to succeed.”

But when Celestino finally called a cut, praising them bothfor a scene well filmed at last, Viktor realised he had thought of nothing elseduring the entire process but Yuuri.

Random snippet 6 –extract from chapter 9 of 12

Katsuki looked at him from across the table, laughtersparking in his eyes and Viktor marvelled at how well the new expression suitedhim. Maybe Celestino’s idea for them to share a dinner together to try and getthem in the headspace of a real couple for the more emotional scenes of filmingthat were due the next day wasn’t such a bad idea after all.

“You really want me to list all your faults?” he asked,eyebrows raised playfully.

“Well since we’re both always pointing them out in front ofthe cast and crew it might be a better idea to just let it all out now beforeYakov fires us both.” Viktor pointed out. “You say one of mine and then I’llsay one of yours and we’ll keep going until we’re done.”

“That might take a while.” Katsuki smirked but he compliedanyway.

“You’re arrogant.”

“You’re touchy.”

“You’re insensitive.”

“You’re too sensitive.”

“You have the emotional range of a five year old.”

“You have no idea how to have fun.”

“You’re immature and unprofessional.”

“You’re too serious and you were terrible at giving fakehead during that last scene.”

Katsuki turned bright red and spluttered in indignation fora few seconds, his cheeks flaming before he finally shot back a reply.

“Yeah, well you’re a terrible kisser.”

“I am not!” This time is was Viktor turn to splutter inindignation and he felt almost personally insulted at the jab. He was not aterrible kisser!

“You are.” Katsuki sat back, looking triumphant. “Honestlyfilming kisses with you have been some of the worst kisses of my life.”

For some reason the insult stung much more than any of theprevious had and Viktor could feel his face contorting into a petulant look ofmock hurt to cover up the very real emotions beneath.

“Why is my kissing so bad then, since you seem to consideryourself the expert?”

“You kiss for the camera.” Yuuri replied. “I’ve seen yourmovies before and they’re all big, dramatic, rushed kisses with explosions inthe background. You still kiss like that even though that isn’t what this movieis about. We’re supposed to be in love, it’s supposed to be tender. Intimate.Real. Not any of that overdramatic crap.”

“I hate to break it to you Katsuki but we’re supposed tokiss for the camera. It’s kind of in our job descriptions.” Viktor shot back.“And we’re actors. It’s not supposed to be real.”

“No.” Katsuki agreed. “But we’re supposed to make peoplebelieve it is.”

Viktor found he had no response to that but he was stillhurt by the other man’s previous comment. He wasn’t a terrible kisser, he hadkissed hundreds of people both on camera and off and he had never had anycomplaints. Katsuki was still smirking at him and it grated at him, made moreannoying by the fact that he cared at all.

“I’m not a terrible kisser.” He finally settled on, tryingnot to let any of the hurt show on his face and knowing he sounded a littlepetulant. “And I am perfectly capable of kissing like it’s real.”

“Oh really?” Katsuki raised his eyebrow and there was achallenge in his expression. “Why don’t you kiss me then, and prove it?”

[independentartistbuzz]

7 From The Women is a new segment here on Independent Artist Buzz where we ask some of the industries finest seven questions. During this time of accusations and the lack thereof, we think it’s important to give women a voice. We chose to ask seven questions to honor the seven Wiccan clans.

Lo Marie’s aesthetic encompasses jazz harmonic constructs, urban grooves, soulful guitar passages, and the expressivity of the jazz and neo-soul vocal traditions. Her debut EP, Beyond the Age of Reason(2012), produced by ace Nashville session man Jerry Kimbrough. We had the pleasure of asking her a couple questions this week.

What have you been working to promote lately?

I have been working to promote a series of 7 singles (what a coincidence that you are honoring 7!). Each song will come out approximately a month apart, and will eventually be bundled as the album Le Rêve, which means “The Dream.”

The whole album is a celebration of freedom of creativity and expression. “The Dream” is represented by the phrase “I wanna dance on the moon.” Obviously, that is something that will not happen for me - it is simply embracing the notion of limitless dreaming and having wandering, free-thinking ideas.

Another theme throughout the seven singles is bravery. This idea is best seen through the image of an African Daisy. Every night African Daisies close up, a gesture interpreted as being protective of their vulnerably beautiful pedal display. In the morning, these flowers burst open and share with the world their bold essence. The notion of having to re-open oneself every day seems like such a brave and admirable act.

Sea Monster, which comes out March 8th, is about embracing all aspects of yourself, even the “ugly” parts that you shove down to the bottom of a lake. In the song, those ugly parts grow into a sea monster that rises from the depths to meet you, but instead of being threatening or scary, simply wants to dance with the other half of you in the light of day. It’s a sigh of relief to finally find peace with yourself.

Please tell us about your favorite song written, recorded or produced by another woman and why it’s meaningful to you

Oh man. That’s a tough one. I’d have to say pretty much all of Carole King’s songbook. “You’ve Got a Friend” is such a great song. It’s pure and honest and compassionate. “You Make Me Feel (Like A Natural Woman)” is another great one. It really addresses relationships from both sides - how each person affects the other - and shows how that can be such a positive thing.

What does it mean to you to be a woman making music today and do you feel a responsibility to other women to create messages and themes in your music?

I love who I am, and being a woman is part of that. I also love what I do, which is make music. To me, those two things are very separate. Being able to differentiate yourself from your work is a very important part of living a full life. While I think it would be great to gain more equality in my field, I don’t feel compelled to use my work to promote that idea. Part of equality is freedom. I’d like to be free to write whatever I want to write about it. If that happens to be women’s rights, so be it. If it happens to be something else, that’s great too. I will continue to speak up for women’s rights in the field, but I’m most concerned about making great music.

A lot of what I’ve been writing about lately is about self-acceptance, unconditional love, and bravery. Those are beautiful things, and apply to everyone, not just women. However, I would also argue that those ideas, essentially boiling down to identity development, IS feminism, as well as humanism. So many women need to work on identity development - myself absolutely included. Just yesterday, a guy left a note for me with his number in a very creepy way. My sister and I were talking about how to handle it. We thought maybe I should lie and tell him that I’m seeing someone else. Then it hit us - why on earth do I need to make him feel better about rejection, when it comes at the cost of my own feelings? I hate lying; it makes me feel terrible. Plus, it doesn’t do anything to correct the underlying problem of how he approaches women. That’s just one small everyday example of how I could stand to re-evaluate how I view myself in comparison to a male acquaintance. In any case, I firmly believe that self-acceptance and identity development, the themes I often choose to write about, are a big part of feminism. But make no mistake - it is a choice to write about these things, not a responsibility. By the time I didn’t have a choice, then it would become a responsibility.

What is the most personal thing you have shared in your music or in your artist brand as it relates to being female?

Dirty Fools is about a college professor who crossed the line. I honestly thought it only happened in the movies. It was a clear abuse of power.

It started really innocently. He was my big band director and I was also in his Jazz Chord Extensions class, and I also played in his professional big band. He would take the college big band rhythm section out for pizza every Tuesday before our sectional rehearsal. One by one the other members got too busy for dinner AND rehearsal, and for a week or two, it was just the two of us. He was a southern gentleman, so he would kiss me on the cheek to say goodbye. He would also waive me into his office when I had free time and show me cool old jazz videos, which was awesome, but it established that it was ok to be alone together in a non-professional manner. After that, he invited me out to one of his gigs, brought me backstage to hang with the band and drink beer. While it was still harmless, it once again established that our relationship was not strictly professional. The following week, he called me up on Friday and asked if I had dinner plans because he knew a really cool spot. I knew that going to dinner alone on a Friday night was not something I was comfortable with, but I didn’t know how to say no. After all, he controlled my grades in 2 classes, and my scholarship depended upon a certain GPA. Additionally, he was well respected in the music community, and he really could be detrimental to my career in the long run if he wanted to be. So I went. It turns out that this “cool spot” was actually an hour away and quite fancy. Then the change was visible. Monday in the hallway at school, instead of kissing my cheek to say goodbye, it was on the lips. In public. It totally took me by surprise. The fact that it was in public meant that I really couldn’t react to it. Then it happened again. After talking to my roommate and crying for a week, I decided to talk to him about it. I went in to his office and immediately the tears came. He kept saying, “This can’t all be from me. What’s going on? You can talk to me.” Instead of hearing me, he used it as an opportunity to be my shoulder to cry on and try to get closer. I knew then that talking to him wasn’t going to change anything.

I should also take a moment to say that he had cancer. It had come back for a third time, and things were not looking good. If I went to the Dean, would he lose his job and therefore his healthcare? There’s absolutely no way that I wanted to condemn this man to death. In so many ways he was an excellent mentor and there was a vast amount I could learn from him. People are very complex - not all good, and not all bad. But he shouldn’t die for making me feel uncomfortable.

I should also say that this behavior of being inappropriately close to female students had happened to at least 2 other girls that I knew of, and I could see it starting to happen with a new Freshman too. Nobody else wanted to say anything.

After a month of being really unhappy and seeing my grades start to slip, I decided to talk to the Dean. I told her that I didn’t want any repercussions for him - I simply wanted her to know what was going on so that she could keep and eye on it, and for me to withdraw from his classes. One of his classes was actually required for me to graduate, but he very kindly decided to give me an A in the course rather than have a W on my record (I had already audited the course the previous year and taken the exams, so he gave me the A retroactively).

Things went the absolute best they could have. It felt like a huge weight had been taken off my shoulders. I had successfully made myself happier without hurting another person and while keeping future students safe too. Dirty Fools is a complete celebration of speaking up! I couldn’t be happier that I did. I hope it inspires other women to speak up as well. Even more than that, I hope it encourages everyone to speak up about what they need. Communication is such an essential part of coexistence.

A year later, we were able to make up. When I first started playing guitar for him, he had given me his Fender Stratocaster from his high school rock band. I gave it back when everything went down. Instead of making up with words, he told me that the guitar was still mine, and that any time I wanted to come back to his professional big band, there was a spot for me. I’m so glad that I was able to forgive him. He passed away about two years after that.

What female artists have inspired you and influenced you?

Alicia Keys is such an inspiration to me. She is a promoter of both feminism and humanism. She delivers her message in a beautiful and uplifting way that seems like it comes from a place of honesty and purity. I fell in love with her as a musician right off the bat with Songs in A Minor, and she’s kept me as an avid fan by making me feel like a comrade on a shared journey. I love how she chooses to use her platform, and I love that she chooses to be more than a musician (even though I believe that being a musician should be enough - but that’s another story).

What was the most challenging thing you have had to face as a female artist?

Gaining base-line respect from others in the industry. Whenever I’m working with new musicians, I always have to be on the top of my game. Granted, I always want to be on the top of my game, and working hard is important to me; however, there is simply no room to slack. If I don’t show up to a rehearsal with everything ready to spoon feed the musicians, they won’t put in the effort to make great music with me. One small example was just a little comment in passing after we’d finished our first rehearsal together. He said, “You really have your stuff together for a chick singer.” He immediately backpedaled, but the fact of the matter is: that’s what he was actually thinking. He came into the rehearsal thinking that I would suck, be uneducated, or somehow less of a musician than he is. Once I’ve broken through the first impression barrier, things generally flow pretty smoothly. But extrapolate that to how many cold emails I send out weekly for booking, press, etc. If that is everyone’s first assumption, I’m constantly fighting a pretty steep uphill battle.

If you could collaborate with any other female artists who would you choose?

Nai Palm - she has such a gift for music making. Lyrics, chord progressions, meter changes - she’s just fantastic. One of my favorite lyrics of hers is “I could call your demons inside, soak them in Chamomile.” It’s simple, but it’s such a unique thought.

Susan Tedeschi - both as a singer and guitarist

Bonnie Raitt - I love her slide style

Joni Mitchell - what a beautiful songwriter. And I love her guitar playing too. She knew exactly what tone she wanted for each song.

Connect with Lo Marie online:

www.lomariemusic.com

https://open.spotify.com/artist/22CZx5oZBRtU7XFHpnlDeq?si=znekMmgRSrCC7O3nf5MzjA

https://www.instagram.com/lomariemusic/

https://www.facebook.com/LoMarieMusic/

https://twitter.com/LoMarieMusic

https://www.youtube.com/LoMarieMusic

[twitchyblondeferret]

200. 155, 23 ,54

@nayt-hollowbeak​ asked me to do them all and a different anon asked me to do 186 so here’s all of them!

200: My crush’s name is: I don’t think I have one right now. Which is odd for me.199: I was born in: 1997198: I am really: unremarkable197: My cellphone company is: Verizon196: My eye color is: Brown195: My shoe size is: 8194: My ring size is: No clue193: My height is: 5′4.5192: I am allergic to: pineapple191: My 1st car was: Chevy Malibu190: My 1st job was: Office Depot cashier189: Last book you read: Max Ride188: My bed is: Lovely187: My pets: are a Cockapoo named Tonks, a Bichon Frise (according to my sister) named Dobby, a Siamese kitten who has yet to be named, and a Yorkie named Cleo (sort of)186: My best friend: is Jesus. And also Morgan185: My favorite shampoo is: whatever is in my shower at any given moment184: Xbox or ps3: I do not video game183: Piggy banks are: kinda useless. I always spend my money before it can accumulate.182: In my pockets: Don’t have any right now181: On my calendar: Doctor, homework, theatre stuff, dentist180: Marriage is: a goal for me I guess.179: Spongebob can: die in a hole. 178: My mom: works really damn hard.177: The last three songs I bought were? You think I buy music? Ha176: Last YouTube video watched: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_v8LF-YWKfo175: How many cousins do you have? So damn many174: Do you have any siblings? 2 sisters173: Are your parents divorced? Nope172: Are you taller than your mom? Yep171: Do you play an instrument? Nah170: What did you do yesterday? Work, cry, go home, rehearse[ I Believe In ]169: Love at first sight: Fuck no168: Luck: Maybe?167: Fate: Nah166: Yourself: Ha165: Aliens: Totally164: Heaven: Nope163: Hell: No162: God: Nein161: Horoscopes: Niet160: Soul mates: Uh uh.159: Ghosts: I’m running out of ways to say no.158: Gay Marriage: Yep157: War: No156: Orbs: ?155: Magic: Magic isn’t real read a book.[ This or That ]154: Hugs or Kisses: Hugs153: Drunk or High: Neither152: Phone or Online: Online151: Red heads or Black haired: Black haired150: Blondes or Brunettes: Brunettes149: Hot or cold: Cold148: Summer or winter: Summer147: Autumn or Spring: Spring146: Chocolate or vanilla: Vanilla145: Night or Day: Night144: Oranges or Apples: Apples143: Curly or Straight hair: Either142: McDonalds or Burger King: Burger King141: White Chocolate or Milk Chocolate: Milk Chocolate140: Mac or PC: Chrome iOS139: Flip flops or high heals: Heels138: Ugly and rich OR sweet and poor: This question is too vague and I refuse to answer it137: Coke or Pepsi: Coke136: Hillary or Obama: Obama135: Burried or cremated: Cremated134: Singing or Dancing: Suck at both but prefer singing133: Coach or Chanel: Neither132: Kat McPhee or Taylor Hicks: Who?131: Small town or Big city: Big City130: Wal-Mart or Target: My heart says Target but my wallet says Walmart129: Ben Stiller or Adam Sandler: Ben Stiller128: Manicure or Pedicure: Manicure127: East Coast or West Coast: East. New England FTW126: Your Birthday or Christmas: Christmas125: Chocolate or Flowers: Flowers124: Disney or Six Flags: DISNEY123: Yankees or Red Sox: Who cares....[ Here’s What I Think About ]122: War: what is it good for..absolutely nothing..121: George Bush: “The question is, is our children learning”120: Gay Marriage: Why shouldn’t people marry whomever the fuck they please119: The presidential election: Ugh118: Abortion: You do you. I hope I don’t ever have to go through one but as I never want to have children, who knows.117: MySpace: I think it’s really only used for bands and stuff now?116: Reality TV: I like some competition shows but that’s about it.115: Parents: I mean mine are good114: Back stabbers: Um. They’re not good?113: Ebay: I don’t fucking know? Why are these so weird?112: Facebook: I use it fairly often.111: Work: My job sucks but hey I got almost $300 today110: My Neighbors: Don’t know em109: Gas Prices: So high108: Designer Clothes: Don’t care107: College: Sucks106: Sports: Boring105: My family: large? Loud? Occasionally fun?104: The future: UUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGH[ Last time I ]103: Hugged someone: Like an hour and a half ago102: Last time you ate: around 6 hours ago101: Saw someone I haven’t seen in awhile: Wednesday100: Cried in front of someone: Yesterday99: Went to a movie theater: Like a week and a half ago98: Took a vacation: November97: Swam in a pool: Last August96: Changed a diaper: It’s been years95: Got my nails done:Ummmm. Last summer I think94: Went to a wedding: I don’t remember93: Broke a bone: Never have92: Got a peircing: When I was like 6 weeks old91: Broke the law: On my drive home?90: Texted: 10 minutes ago[ MISC ]89: Who makes you laugh the most: I dunno88: Something I will really miss when I leave home is: My dog87: The last movie I saw: Chicago86: The thing that I’m looking forward to the most: the sweet release of death?85: The thing im not looking forward to: the continuation of life?84: People call me: um. My name?83: The most difficult thing to do is: Literally everything. I’m bad at all of it.82: I have gotten a speeding ticket: Nope81: My zodiac sign is: Capricorn80: The first person i talked to today was: My mom79: First time you had a crush: Kindergarten78: The one person who i can’t hide things from: Nobody.77: Last time someone said something you were thinking: Oooo rehearsal today. Morgan and Justin get me when it comes to those fucking kids.76: Right now I am talking to: Rene75: What are you going to do when you grow up: teach theatre74: I have/will get a job: Have one?73: Tomorrow: Work 9-5:30 Rehearsal 5-9.  Cause that’ll work.72: Today: Work, school, Olive Garden, rehearsal, airport, home71: Next Summer: Fuck if I know.70: Next Weekend: Work and perform69: I have these pets: see 18768: The worst sound in the world: Styrofoam.67: The person that makes me cry the most is: My ex. Fucker.66: People that make you happy: There are quite a few of them65: Last time I cried: Yesterday.64: My friends are: Annoying as a fuck. But oh well.63: My computer is: refusing to acknowledge that its has a built in camera62: My School: sucks61: My Car: is a mess60: I lose all respect for people who: are assholes for no reason59: The movie I cried at was: All of them?58: Your hair color is: Brown57: TV shows you watch: Shameless, Gilmore Girls, Riverdale, Jane the Virgin56: Favorite web site: this hellhole55: Your dream vacation: Backpack across Europe54: The worst pain I was ever in was: I’ve never experienced extreme physical pain.53: How do you like your steak cooked: Medium Rare52: My room is: also a mess51: My favorite celebrity is: Emma Watson50: Where would you like to be: Disneyland49: Do you want children: No48: Ever been in love: Unfortunately47: Who’s your best friend: See 18646: More guy friends or girl friends: Guy45: One thing that makes you feel great is: being on stage44: One person that you wish you could see right now: none of them. I need to avoid people 43: Do you have a 5 year plan: I don’t even have a 5 day plan.42: Have you made a list of things to do before you die: No41: Have you pre-named your children: I mean I’ve had names picked for years but I don’t want to use them40: Last person I got mad at: myself39: I would like to move to: Anaheim38: I wish I was a professional: actor[ My Favorites ]37: Candy: I’m not huge on candy36: Vehicle: Classic matte black Charger35: President: Obama34: State visited: New York33: Cellphone provider: Um. I’ve only had the one32: Athlete: Don’t care31: Actor: So many30: Actress: Same as above29: Singer: Brendon Urie28: Band: Panic! At the Disco (see what I did there?)27: Clothing store: Forever 2126: Grocery store: Um? Walmart I guess?25: TV show: Gilmore Girls24: Movie: So many23: Website: This one22: Animal: Otters and meerkats21: Theme park: Disneyland20: Holiday: Thanksgiving19: Sport to watch: Football?18: Sport to play: Fuck no17: Magazine: None of them?16: Book: Harry Potter15: Day of the week: Friday?14: Beach: Um. No clue13: Concert attended: I have a hard time at concerts12: Thing to cook: Sweet and Sour Chicken11: Food: Sushi or Gyros10: Restaurant: Sunny’s Sushi or Zinos9: Radio station: 99.9 I guess8: Yankee candle scent: Um7: Perfume: UM6: Flower: Lily5: Color: Blue or black4: Talk show host: Ellen?3: Comedian: Gabriel Iglesias2: Dog breed: Poodle1: Did you answer all these truthfully? I think so?

I’m sorry that some are sarcastic? Just the mood I’m in I guess 

[ulikblogrunner]

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If a teenaged Tiffany “No Chill” Teo could see her adult counterpart, she would be unrecognizable.

As a young girl, the Singaporean martial arts standout was heavily involved in choir activities, which she participated in for a decade.

“I was a nerd when I was a kid. I was not very active,” Teo shared in jest.

Today, Teo is the polar opposite as she traded in her songbooks and rehearsal rooms for a pair of four-ounce gloves and the gym.

Teo went from a quiet, unassuming choirgirl to becoming a renowned strawweight martial arts prospect with an impressive record of 7-0.

The winding road to ONE Championship began in the oddest of places — in front of the television screen. Teo’s interest in martial arts, Muay Thai specifically, was stoked by popular reality show The Contender Asia.

Motivated by the aforementioned television program and a brief stint in Taekwondo, Teo made her way to a Singapore gym to start training in the “art of eight limbs” nearly eight years ago.

What started out as a way to stay in shape quickly turned into requests for Teo to test out her skills against real competition.

“I had no plans to compete,” she revealed. “My coaches kept asking. They wanted me to go to Thailand. I thought it was a crazy idea. ‘You want me to go face a girl that has been doing it all her life?’”

Teo turned down the opportunity test herself in Thailand, and, after training for two years, she put Muay Thai on the shelf completely as she packed her bags and headed to the United States to study Psychology at the University of Buffalo, where she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree.

However, school was far from enough to keep Teo from wondering “what if” in terms of martial arts competition. As each day passed, the fire in her to compete grew stronger.

With a full life prior to heading to the United States, there was simply no time for her to train, but after concluding her studies, the window opened again.

Teo returned to Singapore and dove head-first into the amateur martial arts scene after just a month of training.

What was meant to be a one-time experience that she could cross off her bucket list soon turned into something more serious, all because she lost.

“I hate losing,” Teo bared. “I decided to re-evaluate what I did wrong, and I wanted to continue.”

A far cry from her days in the choir, Teo’s journey to perfect her craft in martial arts progressed quickly.

After immersing herself with Muay Thai and boxing, Teo dabbled in the famous grappling discipline of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

Before she knew it, the Singaporean was on the road to a full-fledged professional mixed martial arts career.

“I fell in love with martial arts. There is more to it than throwing strikes and grappling with your training partner on the mat. It empowers me every single day,” Teo stressed.

From the amateur to the professional ranks, there was one battle that Teo fought for every single match that she was booked for: winning the approval of her parents.

“They did not like the fact that I am competing,” she said. “Since day one, they asked me why I wanted to do it. ‘You cannot be a normal person with a nine-to-five job?’ They have let it go, but I know they do not like it. They wanted me to settle down and live a normal life.”

After having her hand raised in seven professional bouts inside the cage, Teo has received the biggest opportunity of her perfect martial arts career as she is scheduled to clash with “The Panda” Xiong Jing Nan for the inaugural ONE Women’s Strawweight World Championship.

Both women are set to collide in the main event of ONE: KINGS OF COURAGE, which takes place at the Jakarta Convention Center in Indonesia on 20 January.

The 28-year-old Singaporean title contender can make history on that fateful night, but she knows that it will not be easy.

“It takes a lot of discipline and hard work to be a world champion. We see how people change after they become the champion, so I feel like you need to stay humble, grounded, and continue to work hard,” she stated.

Although Xiong is widely-regarded as one of China’s finest woman warriors, Teo is confident in her ability to win as she is preparing for all possible scenarios for her first-ever martial arts world title contest.

“I feel a knockout or submission is possible. She is pretty wild with her punches so the opening for a knockout is there, and an opening for a takedown is there if she is committing to her punches,” she explained.

“At the same time, she is tough. She might not get knocked down or knocked out, and she might go the full five rounds, so there are a lot of possibilities and outcomes to this match,” Teo added.

Teo is 100 percent focused on becoming the first-ever ONE Women’s Strawweight World Champion and the second ONE World Champion to fly the Singapore flag, especially after earning her parents’ approval.

“My parents are very supportive now, When I first started [competing in martial arts], I told people they were not supportive and wanted me to stop. But now, they are checking on me, my training, my preparations, and are asking about my matches,” she disclosed.

With his family and friends behind her, Teo envisions victory at ONE: KINGS OF COURAGE against her Chinese opponent.

“They are changing their attitude, and it is really nice having the support of my parents. I am really happy about it. Now, I am so motivated to win and bring home the belt,” she ended.

  ​​For more updates on ONE Championship, please visit www.onefc.com, follow us on Twitter and Instagram @ONEChampionship, and like us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ONECh ampionship.

Former choir member Tiffany Teo determined to fulfill destiny as martial arts champ If a teenaged Tiffany “No Chill” Teo could see her adult counterpart, she would be unrecognizable.

[apsbicepstraining]

‘It’s intoxicating- I became obsessed’: has fitness gone too far?

With seven-day gym classes and unregulated instructors on Instagram, is our desire for practise get hazardous?

Lisa Andrews was looking for a speedy fitness secure. The 34 -year-old had” a bit of load to forget” a year after having her first child and, being both time-poor and on a fund, she decided to do it with the assistance of an online 12 -week training programme she’d seen advertised on Facebook.” There were the thousands of changeovers on there ,” Lisa tells me.” I was so excited to start. The program had several different levels so you could begin at whatever level you thought worked for you. Stupidly, I picked intermediate. It was really defying, with daily establisheds of high-intensity activities, and I would routinely find dog-tired and wholly out of sigh by the end of it- but I was on a high. As I get fitter, I began to really desire the training. I looked forward to it, talked about it all the time, got acquaintances to sign up. I became fairly evangelical. Sometimes I’d even do two sessions a date. I’d bounced other activities to work out- because if I had to miss a discussion, I’d appear depressed and fretted it would thwart my change .”

But when” niggling anguishes” in her feet and ankles developed into something more severe, Lisa was unable to go to work. An X-ray confirmed that she had stress fractures in two places available in her hoof. Bound up in a big boot-like aircast, she struggled to walk for weeks and was told to avoid any weight-bearing training for months, until the bones are absolutely mended.” I had become obsessed ,” she says now.” I was wholly into it and the’ community’ of people online doing the same stuff. I’d be on Instagram all the time, looking at other people’s conversions. I do feel silly. I should know better- but it is psychologically intoxicating .”

Using Instagram, blogs and YouTube to get fit is fast becoming de rigueur. And despite get collectively fatter and more sedentary, the British invest evidence amounts of coin rehearsal. Representations from the 2017 UK State of the Fitness Industry report show that the sector is worth more than PS4. 7bn yearly- up more than 6% on its first year before. A speedy search for the #fitspo hashtag on Instagram draws up almost 47 million images- parties in workout gear promoting weights, close-ups of ultra-defined abs, bulbous biceps, “transformation” word-paintings( taken before and after fat loss)- each one advocating a programme more punishing than the last.

These daytimes, hardcore fitness exchanges. Even Nike, which stimulated its call with that all-inclusive Just Do It tagline, has taken to lambasting joggers in its latest ad blitz:” If You Like It Slow, Jog On”, or” You Prevail Some Or You Acquire Some”, exclaim its new billboards. Gyms guide” extend hard” advertisements, with discounted packs for those taking up inexhaustible classifies for short periods of period, such as 10 classifies in 10 days- the kind of training that numerous dub” binge workouts “.

But nowhere is full-on teach more powerfully advocated than on social media, where inspirational paraphrases such as” Pain is Weakness Leaving The Body” and” Sweat Is Your Fat Crying” are liked and shared billions of occasions. In the age of “wellth”, a well-honed tricep is more desirable than the latest duet of decorator shoes. The so-called world-wide of “fitspo” began as a niche practice for gym nerds to share tips-off and document how their bodies changed, before spreading into a whole lifestyle progress. Instagram’s short videos lend themselves to fitness content; beings started following routines in the gym.

Fitness progress have been around a very long time- think back to Jane Fonda, The Green Goddess and Mr Motivator- but works out has become a lot more complex since the aerobics periods, says Rick Miller, a clinical and plays dietician.” Increasingly, there seems to be this feeling of,’ Why would I go for a soothing 5km trot or a moderate aerobic discussion when I can do a punishing high-intensity set ?'” he tells me over lunch. High-intensity training( mixing all-out outbursts of pleasure with short remainders) goes mixed re-examines from health professionals: some swear by the fast develops, while many believe that unsupervised employ of this kind can cause health problems.

” Many young person I construe are completely preoccupied with Instagram fitness stars ,” Miller says,” and they follow workouts from so-called tutors they don’t know, which may not be right for their own bodies or their levels of fitness. Fitness athletes are adepts online, but their followers often try to instruct at the standard of health professionals player, without the core level of fitness. Following this type of workouts can very often to be translated into injury and burnout. Were I to recommend some of the things that fitness bloggers recommend- levels of practise, nutritional advice- I would get struck off .”

The National Careers Service was pointed out that training to become a fitness teach can only be done on the job at a gym, as an apprentice, or via a college route. Becoming a personal manager( PT) is more advanced. PTs are often self-employed, and they need insurance, first-aid exercise, an awareness of dissection and physiology, and a qualification, which takes anything from six weeks 3 months to achieve. Increasingly, trainers tell me, gyms are looking for another asset in their PTs: they want them to be photogenic, with a big social media following.

Zanna Van Dijk:’ When I look back at my old-time uprights, I cringe .’ Photograph: Getty Images

Some Insta-fitness personalities have personal education suitabilities, but numerous do not. Often, there is no way of telling who is trained and who isn’t, without asking them. Anyone with more than 100,000 followers, nonetheless, irrespective of their qualifications, is deemed an “influencer”, courted by brands eager to reach their adherents. That’s a fact that tempers many offline personal trainers, who was of the view that the unqualified yet famous ones devalue their profession.” Online curricula want people to feel as if they have their own- cheap- personal trainer ,” one tells me.” As some of them are wholly unskilled and the programmes are really’ one length fits all ‘, current realities couldn’t be further from the truth. It realizes reputable personal trainers seem outrageously expensive .”

It is a sentiment resembled by one health and allure magazine writer, who asks to remain anonymous because her ideas don’t tally with that of her bos.” These epoches, a strong Instagram following, good gene reserve and even better spray sunburn can construct you a fitness ace, regardless of what qualifications you have. Not only do many of these’ fitness virtuosoes’ know little about what constitutes safe usage( the truth is that no amount of likes come in handy when you need to solve a gym-induced injury ), they likewise create a inaccurate gumption of what fit and healthy looks like- and it doesn’t ever look 21 and great in a bikini. Include to that the fact that these social media adepts get paid to alter fitness devices, gambits and protein shakes, and you’ve a whole loading of dangerously misguided adherents .”

No one would deny that people becoming more active is anything other than a good event. Millennials claim to enjoy working out as much as going out; gyms have become stylish, social openings where people invest their Friday nights and Saturday mornings, often doing back-to-back first-class. Revolving, boxing and hybrid cardio-barre workouts at city-centre-based studios often have waiting lists for evening or weekend seminars, when people would traditionally be kicking back with a potion( fewer parties aged between 16 and 24 suck than ever before, according to the Office of National Statistics ). Gyms are designed with stylish interiors and high-impact facet walls- all the better to post to Instagram.

And while the rest of the fashion sector strives, activewear- now not so much a category of apparel as a way of life, led by leggings and cultivate tops- has already become big business. Morgan Stanley forecasts the workout clothe sector to be worth $83 bn a year globally over the next three years. Gymwear is no longer age-old jogging posteriors or baggy T-shirts; it’s cut-outs and mesh- robes you can wear all day, seven days a week.

It’s a warm Monday lunchtime and I am sitting next to a dough oven in a sourdough bakery in Battersea, south London. Where else to assemble a 24 -year-old characterized personal trainer and full-time fitness blogger? This is one of Zanna Van Dijk‘s favourite hangouts: when she’s not working out( or “socialing” herself doing so ), Van Dijk and her boyfriend run an Instagram account devote to where to find the best brunch. There is a lot weighing about the type of alternative milk to be served with her americano. Later this afternoon, she tells me, she is getting the representation for Earth tattooed on her wrist because,” I’m a vegetarian for countries around the world .”

Van Dijk is towering, about 6ft, and lean. She has long, blond mane, immaculate makeup and more than 180, 000 adherents on Instagram. She learnt speech therapy at Sheffield University, but after graduating went into fitness blogging full era.” For me, fitness started as a lane to lose my’ Fresher’s 15′[ a reference to the heavines first-year university students can gain ]. I documented it, picked up 35,000 partisans and didn’t know what to do with them. So I took a year off, endeavoured to London, started to work as a PT, made an income and forged partnerships with firebrands. I did a six-week intensive route and got it sponsored, as long as I blogged about it. As my online chart grew, I shortened my personal instruct task- now I learn parties one morning a week. Otherwise, I’m editing videos or blogposts- I do three of these each a week. I’ve written a book, I’ve brought out jumpers[ which say’ Coffee and carbs’ on them ], and I’m an Adidas envoy .”

Van Dijk acknowledges occasions were quite different when she was starting out.” When I look back at my age-old berths, I cringe. I reckon:’ Gosh, people know good-for-nothing! You had completely the incorrect outcome of the stick !’ I used to try and be super-lean, and now I certainly don’t care if I am lean or not- I want to be fit .” She violates off to vlog, before we look through her Instagram demographics together.

” My following is 81% dames, 19% beings ,” she says.” The biggest audience is 25- to 34 -year-olds, more older males, more younger women, mostly London, mostly UK .” More older humanities? Isn’t that a bit creepy? Van Dijk doesn’t react. Does she appear a responsibility to her followers?” You want to be 100% honest and share everything, but the other day, I did a video where I indicated my figure. It was all about self-confidence and self-love, which is what I am all about, but person observation:’ I just think this video is drawing attention to different people’s bodies and their appearings .’ That wasn’t its intention, that’s how it’s being comprehended .”

Van Dijk argues that her admirers shouldn’t compare themselves with her.” It’s really hard. I teach four days per week or maybe five ,” she says.” A slew of young girls will look at me and think:’ I want to look like she examines and I want to do what she does ,’ and that’s when I have to be so careful .”

In that gumption, she experiences she has to protect people from themselves.” If you’re someone who has a negative mindset or is in a vulnerable place, you can easily access information that you could use mischievously. If you’re someone with an eating disorder or an infatuation with employ, Instagram is no longer an good home to be .”

Celebrity manager James Duigan( right ):’ There’s no guarantee you’re doing things right online’

How much responsibility do online trainers really make for parties copying the workouts they recommend? Jean-Claude Vacassin, the founder of boutique London gym W10, is not a fan of fitness via social media or, as he expressions it “excer-train-ment”. ” What parties assure on social media is selling ,” he tells me on the phone.” Extreme fitness exchanges, it’s exciting. It used to be that moving a marathon was hardcore. Now, that’s not enough: you have to do a multi-day ultra-marathon. A mint of these online training regimen is directed at millennials who want to buy on the first clink and transform their body on the second- and they push themselves more hard-boiled. No one wants to invest eight weeks moving more and snacking less these days because, sadly, beings don’t believe basic practise, done well, is going to get them anywhere. There’s this idea that it’s boring .” He quotes the case of a developer who got a deal with a complement companionship because he works out a lot and has hundreds of thousands of Instagram followers.” But does that make he knows what he’s doing? No! He’s a make , not a personal coach .”

Vacassin lends:” In our gym, we have gym criteria. Parties undergo an assessment before they get a programme. Hiit[ high intensity] training courses and involved employs under tirednes should not be in 90% of people’s fitness regimes because they don’t have the physical ability. These online reports trick beings into thinking “its so easy”. No one posts a bad exercising. No one posts the exercising they missed. No one posts the depression they have when they get injured or such relationships it expenditure them. All you see is the good stuff .”

Deep squats, lunges, deadlifts and high-intensity cardio are the mainstay of online exercisings, and stop Cameron Tudor, proprietor of West London Physiotherapy, in business.” We’ve seen an increase in the numbers of clients coming to us having disabled themselves doing online workouts ,” he says.” People get hurt predominantly because the theme is:’ This is what I do and there’s no reason it won’t work for you .’ Extrapolated across the population, that’s not going to be good. While it’s a great circumstance that people are being encouraged to be active, if you’ve never elevated a barbell and then start elevating 10 kg, you’ll put your materials at risk .” Part of the problem, Tudor says, is in the age changes.” The coaches are generally in their early 20 s, but a lot of the person or persons use the programmes are mid-to-late 30 s and 40 s. That subjects, because your tissues are far more resilient when you’re under 30.”

All exercise carries specific risks of harm, but the lack of supervision means that online programmes can carry more probability. Cara, 28, from Birmingham, was doing an online squats defy when she damaged her sciatic nerve.” I am sweeping about what happened to me ,” she says,” but I’m not sure what anyone can do about it. It was my decided not to do the programme. I merely didn’t know it wasn’t the right thing for me .”

Natalie Burley, 37, from Chichester, swapped daily hearings on her exercise bike for an online programme to regain some fitness after her second child. In her fifth week, she inaugurated knowing knee anguish.” A physio was just telling me I’d exacerbated the ligaments on the outside of my knee and I had to rest for six weeks. Now I have to wear a knee funding .”

Fitness stars themselves aren’t immune from both physical or psychological traumata as a result of their jobs. Van Dijk tells me she cracked her handwriting doing box jumps last year. Fitness Instagrammer Queen City Sweat( nearly 50,000 adherents) wrote a pole in June admitting she had become “addicted” to activity in 2016, blaming the pressures of social media.” It becomes so simple to start equating yourself to others on here, which led me to develop a mindset of’ How skinny can I get ?’ rather than’ How healthy can I be ?'” she wrote.

According to a 2008 Journal of Health Psychology study, girls reported an ever increasing negative mood, sadnes and nervousnes after merely 30 times of deeming fitness periodicals that promote an” sporting principle “. Social media means you don’t have to buy a publication to discover these likeness; they’re in your newsfeed. The BMJ has identified practise craving as a originating trouble, feigning up to 10% of the employing population. Meanwhile, research from Flinders University in Australia found that online “fitspo” personas predominantly illustrate the thin or sporting principle for women or the muscular ideology for men which, says clinical psychologist Dr Lisa Orban, can lead to mental difficulties, more.” Images considered on Instagram can represent one uniform, idealised standard of attractiveness- one not achievable to most young people .”

I ask celebrity personal trainer James Duigan if he has were part of Instagram’s fitness culture. “Massively,” he says from his gym in western London.” Social media facilitated my business Bodyism, and I admit that. But I think there’s a difference between that and photos of beings publicizing commodities and selling exert and nutrition curricula, which can be physically and emotionally destructive .”

Duigan attained his name grooming the likes of Elle Macpherson and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley- both terribly successful simulations, neither with particularly achievable physiques- but “he il be” definite about his issues with online fitness programs.” Too many of these videos peculiarity complex moves and beings get hurt ,” he says.” From a physiological perspective, there’s no guaranty you’re doing things right online .”

Duigan tells me the story of an 18 -year-old client who has just connected his gym, after growing preoccupied with an online workout” advocated by very thin models and reality TV stars “. He sighs:” She developed an anorexia nervosa and was under medical supervision for 18 months. It attains me enraged. Numerous online workouts peculiarity modelings and they examine so compelling, playing into our deepest anxieties. But regular parties won’t achieve the same results.”

Lisa Andrews has now made a full retrieval, but is specified not to succumb to online training a second epoch.” I have removed social media from my phone so I can’t fall back into that vortex. And I’ve connected a gym where they’ve made a programme particularly for me. It’s early days and I know it will take time, but I’m having fun again .”

Some figures have been changed .

* Noting on this article? If you would like your explain to be considered for inclusion on Weekend magazine’s words page in reproduce, please email weekend @theguardian. com, including your name and address( not for pamphlet ).

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Treasures from the Roof of the Insurmountable, Part 4

unknown title (Antonietta Raphaël)

27: Flashlight by Kasia Moś (Poland)

Fun bulbous whirrs in the pre-choruses, even if they were added to mask the rhyming choices of fire/desire/higher/wire/non-qualifier. (One of those may be made up.) “Flashlight” feels more coherent with more listens and flows by relatively skillfully, as if it didn’t just rhyme a feeling of strong craving with rapid oxidation. 

Clearly, a decaf-violin version would have been better than this, and the violinist should avoid even looking at coffee, but the melody of Kasia’s vocals carries the song well. The intensity here is: Russian provincial crime dramas, all of which are going to license “Flashlight” and use it in every third episode.

Big fan of the stationary ethereal shark on the LED screen from 2:30-2:34, rotating around like a newly obtained Tomb Raider souvenir.

The music video, also (link in the title), is an absurdly apocalyptic edit of fantastically ordinary footage of the local city orchestra. On the film shoot, a Volgogradian gangster has just pulled a gun on his refined St. Peterburgian business partner, and all these musicians and birds hopefully earned some royalties.

When I first heard this song, it was my least favorite of the three that I reviewed, but after re-listening I think it just edges out Hovig for second place. The problem is that while she clearly has a great voice, it's hidden behind a bunch of junk. 

At one moment in the song, she holds a note for some time, but you can hardly hear it behind all that unnecessary electronic noise. At the same time, the song is just sort of boring and desperately needs something to put it over the top; something to change the song up a bit, since it didn't go the route of stripping it down to a simpler number where her voice could shine.

Ryan Haskell

26: Rain of Revolution by Fusedmarc (Lithuania)

When Spotify introduces the Completely Random Song From Our Library feature, "Rain of Revolution” will come up first. This crazed funk pop is the median in all things – musical category, level of stock continental goofiness and the length of time that a child would cry when hearing this at high volume (let’s say 40 seconds of crying, somewhere from 1:27 and on), to pick three things that don’t define all things.

There are lots of layers here, all perilously undercooked. Fiery V signs into the camera plus sneering baby boomer guitarist plus four(!) backing vocalists: a track like this needs hours in a name-brand bath of boiling water, except in two situations, in which it may be left as is: Lithuania in Eurovision and Lithuania in general as a nation. Fusedmarc is very much playing within their parameters.

But even taking this exception aside, "Rain of Revolution” is easier to like than to not like. I think I feel better when I let it be it. Thunder noises crack the song into existence. The horns just beep the same five notes, like an easter egg setting of a tired Roomba. Viktorija, the lead vocalist, crouches and stabilitates like a perennial neighborhood heelflip title-holder. Fitting heaving, whispered verses onto a cheery horn accompaniment is the median of “mostly doesn’t work” and “doesn’t work” and that is irrelevant. Everyone on stage and some faithful fans in the floor pit are so into this crimson pell-mell. Spritz me with your regime change rain, Lithuanian band. Let’s pick up a park bench and throw it at a tree, then pick up a tree and throw it at a kid. Speak with my V sign if you have a comment.

“Rain of Revolution” is Fusedmarc’s reenactment of an acid trip. An 80′s workout video sound mix accompanies the singer as she staggers around a stage highlighted by a trippy light show. The costume choice of a red turtleneck maxi dress and topknot further add to the cacophony of stylistic decisions for this song. The rainy revolution is one of the mind, and one with “no time for your illusion”.

The song opens with the proclamation, “life like roller coaster / spinning me around / rhythm getting faster / when I’m upside down”, which sets the tone for what is to come. Her vocals are all over the place, never seeming to find a correct pitch until the end. The backup singers and their chant of, “dance to the rhythm of the soul!” are the best part, and mellow out the end of the song after its rocky start. This psychedelic rant is all over the place, so sit back and prepare for a bumpy ride. 2/10.

Liv Mothershead

25: Yodel It! by Ilinca ft. Alex Florea (Romania)

Did you know that there are two FIFA video games released every year? On September 29, 2017 EA Sports released “FIFA 18″, priced at $59.99. The older consoles and PC, meanwhile, added to their anthology the title “BALL”, for $7. Running on the same modern engine, but with players represented by word clouds of the most commonly said things about them on Twitter, and sometimes the penalty spot is a trap from which Uruk-hai (MUTILATED RUINED THICC EARTH PERFECTION WOMB) tear off time-wasting goalies’ legs to eat for brunch, “BALL” contains a licensed Europa League group stage, the World Cup third-place match, Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs, a Career Mode starring Rolando during his loan to Anderlecht, and for the soundtrack of the menu screens, “Yodel It!”

But this song does not have an upmarket, monotonous, premium Thibaut Courtois card wholesaling equivalent. If you’re intrigued by the concept of “Yodel It!”, but aren’t fully on board while three to 300 sonic and visual issues with this performance remain unresolved, there is no societally palatable version to turn to yet. This is white-boy rap-rock on top of Romanian volksmusik; definitionally, it’s a trailblazer. It’s released by a label called “Cat Music”. No one is qualified to judge this properly. Maybe "Yodel It!” should be in first place. Maybe in -84.33rd.

I like how detailed the Wikipedia page for this song is, with screenshot commentary like it’s a hugely awaited action-adventure game. You know how these games work – you climb towers and dive off of them into piles of previous Romanian Eurovision entries.

Yodeler Ilinca certainly looks like she realizes what a warped thing this is – whereas 2013 Romanian entry Cezar, for example, didn’t seem to with his stage show, even after it was fine-tuned to a pulsing heap of bloody nude men – and she executes moves somewhere between halfheartedly and 70%-heartedly, functioning through it like a detached crowd of new Fusedmarc fans just waiting until “Rain of Revolution”. 

Her primary function, on the other hand, she completes perfectly professionally, in full verve. If I pass any further comment on yodeling I will end up getting a certificate in the mail notifying me of becoming a sanctioned regional yodeling judge, or something, but: what kind of happens is that “Yodel It!” gets you to feel well. I like Ilinca’s voice, which does what it intends to and transports me to early modern Europe. What she does with her voice soothes more micrometres of my soul than it abrades. It’s pleasant, even after a year’s worth of “teaching to the test”, which is creating anything for Eurovision. Also, I am now literally a sheep that marched too far from the farm and is being sung at to scamper back.

(Probably yodeling hasn’t featured in Eurovision in decades, but also probably fewer than a thousand people in the world have watched every Eurovision show, so who can really say for sure.)

The non-yodeler, the never-yodeler Alex Florea, a human semi-professional Neapolitan football team operating on a budget of protection money from the two pet supply stores down the street, hypes up the crowd and mostly himself with [what sound like reworded football chants from a particularly vehement set of ultras.]

Florea’s fulgent vigor for “Yodel It!” does bulldoze through a lot of criticism you could have for this song when introduced to it. Analysis simply does not matter when Alex buries you with imperatives – “DON’T HIDE THE LIGHT INSIDE OF YOU!” – or straight-up announces that he is to now “gonna act really crazy”. I mean, shit. That’s a man with nothing to lose and every televoter point to gain. 

If Ilinca got super sick and couldn’t perform in the Grand Final, Alex would, beyond question, volunteer himself to do the whole thing, every part, and be so intensely alert at rehearsals that any Romanian delegation-chosen replacement wouldn’t nearly match his carnality to restore the song and bring the Eurovision trophy home. 

(But, in the real ending here, he gives Ilinca a weird, forceful, kiss on the cheek, fingernails clawed into her face, so I don’t know about this guy at all.)

The first few times I listened to “Yodel It!”, it did nothing for me. I thought it was dumb and annoying and just plain bad. The more I’ve listened to it, however, I’ve come to appreciate this song’s originality and ambition. Don’t get me wrong — this is totally camp, super weird and really disjointed, but for some reason, I don’t hate it. Maybe it’s the inherent charm of a good yodel, or Ilinca’s natural charisma, but “Yodel It!” just keeps growing on me, which is super annoying because I really want to hate this song.

My main frustration with this song is that it feels very unpolished and disjointed. The live national final performance, especially, is full of awkward hesitations, rough transitions, and really bad staging and choreography. I like that this is a duet, and when they aren’t stumbling around each other on the stage, Ilinca and Alex have decent chemistry. I also think the weird genre mixing works to a certain degree — I’ve come to like the idea of interrupting a rap lyric with a sharp, clear yodel. The problem is when Ilinca switches from yodeling to her regular voice. If her only job was to whip out complicated, interesting yodels with limited singing, I think the song would be much better; it’s when she randomly switches to singing a ballad that I lose interest. “Yodel It!” isn’t terrible, but in the interest of maintaining some sense of dignity, I’ll end with this: Alex’s falsetto is horrible, and Ilinca’s leprechaun dress makes no sense. Leprechauns don’t yodel.

Hannah Fulmer

24: Apollo by Timebelle (Switzerland)

^⨀ᴥ⨀^ ooh there is other music in the world

This is a good song and I can’t find many more words, other than that competitively Switzerland has been pretty baaad at Eurovision for a dozen years now and I wouldn’t be surprised if they quit at some point? Here are three guest reviews in mixed media about “Apollo”:

VIDEO REVIEW! Embedded video not available because we’re in safe hands with Tumblr’s five-inline-videos limit.

Erin Pipes

It is impossible to distinguish from all the others. It cannot win. If it wins I will execute the hostages. 3/10.

Philip Piatt

Billy Moran

I asked Billy to play “Apollo” and draw a picture for the three-minute length of the song, about whatever sparked in his mind. He finished the house a little after the bell and says that it would have looked weird if only a quarter of a house was completed. “They built their house there because of how beautiful the view of the volcano is. But they were foolish to build their house next to a volcano, and now their child is getting away on the Bike Dinosaur.” Yeah. As I said, it’s a good song.

Crazily, Billy’s drawn family looks a lot like Maraaya, the Slovenian entry+couple who opened the Grand Final in 2014. He swears he has not seen them before...

Anyway.

23: Beautiful Mess by Kristian Kostov (Bulgaria)

If Salvador and Luísa Sobral did not win it for Portugal, "Beautiful Mess” would’ve been the Eurovision winner. (I guess all meaning I had there is that this song finished second.) It would’ve been a pretty “good” winner, I think, which is a hot new word that has begun to mean, “how placated will Eurovision fanatics and journalists feel if this song won and became the representative of Eurovision to the public”. (I tell you, this contest gets harder and harder to unspool...) 

Kristian punches well on his high notes, over this cool, moody string-percussion melody. Glum emo pop isn’t my thing, but the song aims big and delivers. I’m sure that “Beautiful Mess” will be one of the last songs that I hear before I die, hospice staff playing it over the PA to soothe and prepare families for sad, but kind of sexy, deaths.

I’m not going to pick a battle with “Beautiful Mess”, not least because Kristian seems real sweet and also the live production of this is kinda cyberpunk. Next year Kristian should enter something like, “Beautiful Apple Face ID”, and walk around the stage unlocking devices until he finds one that he can’t unlock and wails in anguish about it. It would take him over the line.

Life is a mess! But love, while not solving all the problems, soothes the troubled heart. Maybe you’ll luck out and get to have a sturdy, true and enduring love, and who doesn’t dream of an invincible love? Who wouldn’t want one that can’t be touched? And this guy has it! The quiet early bars lay out the difficult feelings and propose the hope that mutual, presumably romantic love will hold things together while trudging through the beautiful mess.

Why it’s beautiful we’re left to imagine for ourselves, but apparently there are no hard feelings. Let’s just survive and hang on — especially to each other. The drop comes just in time; it’s hard to slog through the swamp while gentle strains lull us to sleep. Maybe things will one day fall apart just as the untouchable love’s armour reveals its chink, but for now we’ll get through this day together and face worse days later, when we have more than overwhelming affection to arm us against the battle. A lot of us were helped through a lot of adolescence that way, and anyone listening to this song will know that feeling. 7/10.

Christy Wareham

[apsbicepstraining]

‘It’s intoxicating- I became obsessed’: has fitness gone too far?

With seven-day gym classes and unregulated instructors on Instagram, is our desire for practise get hazardous?

Lisa Andrews was looking for a speedy fitness secure. The 34 -year-old had” a bit of load to forget” a year after having her first child and, being both time-poor and on a fund, she decided to do it with the assistance of an online 12 -week training programme she’d seen advertised on Facebook.” There were the thousands of changeovers on there ,” Lisa tells me.” I was so excited to start. The program had several different levels so you could begin at whatever level you thought worked for you. Stupidly, I picked intermediate. It was really defying, with daily establisheds of high-intensity activities, and I would routinely find dog-tired and wholly out of sigh by the end of it- but I was on a high. As I get fitter, I began to really desire the training. I looked forward to it, talked about it all the time, got acquaintances to sign up. I became fairly evangelical. Sometimes I’d even do two sessions a date. I’d bounced other activities to work out- because if I had to miss a discussion, I’d appear depressed and fretted it would thwart my change .”

But when” niggling anguishes” in her feet and ankles developed into something more severe, Lisa was unable to go to work. An X-ray confirmed that she had stress fractures in two places available in her hoof. Bound up in a big boot-like aircast, she struggled to walk for weeks and was told to avoid any weight-bearing training for months, until the bones are absolutely mended.” I had become obsessed ,” she says now.” I was wholly into it and the’ community’ of people online doing the same stuff. I’d be on Instagram all the time, looking at other people’s conversions. I do feel silly. I should know better- but it is psychologically intoxicating .”

Using Instagram, blogs and YouTube to get fit is fast becoming de rigueur. And despite get collectively fatter and more sedentary, the British invest evidence amounts of coin rehearsal. Representations from the 2017 UK State of the Fitness Industry report show that the sector is worth more than PS4. 7bn yearly- up more than 6% on its first year before. A speedy search for the #fitspo hashtag on Instagram draws up almost 47 million images- parties in workout gear promoting weights, close-ups of ultra-defined abs, bulbous biceps, “transformation” word-paintings( taken before and after fat loss)- each one advocating a programme more punishing than the last.

These daytimes, hardcore fitness exchanges. Even Nike, which stimulated its call with that all-inclusive Just Do It tagline, has taken to lambasting joggers in its latest ad blitz:” If You Like It Slow, Jog On”, or” You Prevail Some Or You Acquire Some”, exclaim its new billboards. Gyms guide” extend hard” advertisements, with discounted packs for those taking up inexhaustible classifies for short periods of period, such as 10 classifies in 10 days- the kind of training that numerous dub” binge workouts “.

But nowhere is full-on teach more powerfully advocated than on social media, where inspirational paraphrases such as” Pain is Weakness Leaving The Body” and” Sweat Is Your Fat Crying” are liked and shared billions of occasions. In the age of “wellth”, a well-honed tricep is more desirable than the latest duet of decorator shoes. The so-called world-wide of “fitspo” began as a niche practice for gym nerds to share tips-off and document how their bodies changed, before spreading into a whole lifestyle progress. Instagram’s short videos lend themselves to fitness content; beings started following routines in the gym.

Fitness progress have been around a very long time- think back to Jane Fonda, The Green Goddess and Mr Motivator- but works out has become a lot more complex since the aerobics periods, says Rick Miller, a clinical and plays dietician.” Increasingly, there seems to be this feeling of,’ Why would I go for a soothing 5km trot or a moderate aerobic discussion when I can do a punishing high-intensity set ?'” he tells me over lunch. High-intensity training( mixing all-out outbursts of pleasure with short remainders) goes mixed re-examines from health professionals: some swear by the fast develops, while many believe that unsupervised employ of this kind can cause health problems.

” Many young person I construe are completely preoccupied with Instagram fitness stars ,” Miller says,” and they follow workouts from so-called tutors they don’t know, which may not be right for their own bodies or their levels of fitness. Fitness athletes are adepts online, but their followers often try to instruct at the standard of health professionals player, without the core level of fitness. Following this type of workouts can very often to be translated into injury and burnout. Were I to recommend some of the things that fitness bloggers recommend- levels of practise, nutritional advice- I would get struck off .”

The National Careers Service was pointed out that training to become a fitness teach can only be done on the job at a gym, as an apprentice, or via a college route. Becoming a personal manager( PT) is more advanced. PTs are often self-employed, and they need insurance, first-aid exercise, an awareness of dissection and physiology, and a qualification, which takes anything from six weeks 3 months to achieve. Increasingly, trainers tell me, gyms are looking for another asset in their PTs: they want them to be photogenic, with a big social media following.

Zanna Van Dijk:’ When I look back at my old-time uprights, I cringe .’ Photograph: Getty Images

Some Insta-fitness personalities have personal education suitabilities, but numerous do not. Often, there is no way of telling who is trained and who isn’t, without asking them. Anyone with more than 100,000 followers, nonetheless, irrespective of their qualifications, is deemed an “influencer”, courted by brands eager to reach their adherents. That’s a fact that tempers many offline personal trainers, who was of the view that the unqualified yet famous ones devalue their profession.” Online curricula want people to feel as if they have their own- cheap- personal trainer ,” one tells me.” As some of them are wholly unskilled and the programmes are really’ one length fits all ‘, current realities couldn’t be further from the truth. It realizes reputable personal trainers seem outrageously expensive .”

It is a sentiment resembled by one health and allure magazine writer, who asks to remain anonymous because her ideas don’t tally with that of her bos.” These epoches, a strong Instagram following, good gene reserve and even better spray sunburn can construct you a fitness ace, regardless of what qualifications you have. Not only do many of these’ fitness virtuosoes’ know little about what constitutes safe usage( the truth is that no amount of likes come in handy when you need to solve a gym-induced injury ), they likewise create a inaccurate gumption of what fit and healthy looks like- and it doesn’t ever look 21 and great in a bikini. Include to that the fact that these social media adepts get paid to alter fitness devices, gambits and protein shakes, and you’ve a whole loading of dangerously misguided adherents .”

No one would deny that people becoming more active is anything other than a good event. Millennials claim to enjoy working out as much as going out; gyms have become stylish, social openings where people invest their Friday nights and Saturday mornings, often doing back-to-back first-class. Revolving, boxing and hybrid cardio-barre workouts at city-centre-based studios often have waiting lists for evening or weekend seminars, when people would traditionally be kicking back with a potion( fewer parties aged between 16 and 24 suck than ever before, according to the Office of National Statistics ). Gyms are designed with stylish interiors and high-impact facet walls- all the better to post to Instagram.

And while the rest of the fashion sector strives, activewear- now not so much a category of apparel as a way of life, led by leggings and cultivate tops- has already become big business. Morgan Stanley forecasts the workout clothe sector to be worth $83 bn a year globally over the next three years. Gymwear is no longer age-old jogging posteriors or baggy T-shirts; it’s cut-outs and mesh- robes you can wear all day, seven days a week.

It’s a warm Monday lunchtime and I am sitting next to a dough oven in a sourdough bakery in Battersea, south London. Where else to assemble a 24 -year-old characterized personal trainer and full-time fitness blogger? This is one of Zanna Van Dijk‘s favourite hangouts: when she’s not working out( or “socialing” herself doing so ), Van Dijk and her boyfriend run an Instagram account devote to where to find the best brunch. There is a lot weighing about the type of alternative milk to be served with her americano. Later this afternoon, she tells me, she is getting the representation for Earth tattooed on her wrist because,” I’m a vegetarian for countries around the world .”

Van Dijk is towering, about 6ft, and lean. She has long, blond mane, immaculate makeup and more than 180, 000 adherents on Instagram. She learnt speech therapy at Sheffield University, but after graduating went into fitness blogging full era.” For me, fitness started as a lane to lose my’ Fresher’s 15′[ a reference to the heavines first-year university students can gain ]. I documented it, picked up 35,000 partisans and didn’t know what to do with them. So I took a year off, endeavoured to London, started to work as a PT, made an income and forged partnerships with firebrands. I did a six-week intensive route and got it sponsored, as long as I blogged about it. As my online chart grew, I shortened my personal instruct task- now I learn parties one morning a week. Otherwise, I’m editing videos or blogposts- I do three of these each a week. I’ve written a book, I’ve brought out jumpers[ which say’ Coffee and carbs’ on them ], and I’m an Adidas envoy .”

Van Dijk acknowledges occasions were quite different when she was starting out.” When I look back at my age-old berths, I cringe. I reckon:’ Gosh, people know good-for-nothing! You had completely the incorrect outcome of the stick !’ I used to try and be super-lean, and now I certainly don’t care if I am lean or not- I want to be fit .” She violates off to vlog, before we look through her Instagram demographics together.

” My following is 81% dames, 19% beings ,” she says.” The biggest audience is 25- to 34 -year-olds, more older males, more younger women, mostly London, mostly UK .” More older humanities? Isn’t that a bit creepy? Van Dijk doesn’t react. Does she appear a responsibility to her followers?” You want to be 100% honest and share everything, but the other day, I did a video where I indicated my figure. It was all about self-confidence and self-love, which is what I am all about, but person observation:’ I just think this video is drawing attention to different people’s bodies and their appearings .’ That wasn’t its intention, that’s how it’s being comprehended .”

Van Dijk argues that her admirers shouldn’t compare themselves with her.” It’s really hard. I teach four days per week or maybe five ,” she says.” A slew of young girls will look at me and think:’ I want to look like she examines and I want to do what she does ,’ and that’s when I have to be so careful .”

In that gumption, she experiences she has to protect people from themselves.” If you’re someone who has a negative mindset or is in a vulnerable place, you can easily access information that you could use mischievously. If you’re someone with an eating disorder or an infatuation with employ, Instagram is no longer an good home to be .”

Celebrity manager James Duigan( right ):’ There’s no guarantee you’re doing things right online’

How much responsibility do online trainers really make for parties copying the workouts they recommend? Jean-Claude Vacassin, the founder of boutique London gym W10, is not a fan of fitness via social media or, as he expressions it “excer-train-ment”. ” What parties assure on social media is selling ,” he tells me on the phone.” Extreme fitness exchanges, it’s exciting. It used to be that moving a marathon was hardcore. Now, that’s not enough: you have to do a multi-day ultra-marathon. A mint of these online training regimen is directed at millennials who want to buy on the first clink and transform their body on the second- and they push themselves more hard-boiled. No one wants to invest eight weeks moving more and snacking less these days because, sadly, beings don’t believe basic practise, done well, is going to get them anywhere. There’s this idea that it’s boring .” He quotes the case of a developer who got a deal with a complement companionship because he works out a lot and has hundreds of thousands of Instagram followers.” But does that make he knows what he’s doing? No! He’s a make , not a personal coach .”

Vacassin lends:” In our gym, we have gym criteria. Parties undergo an assessment before they get a programme. Hiit[ high intensity] training courses and involved employs under tirednes should not be in 90% of people’s fitness regimes because they don’t have the physical ability. These online reports trick beings into thinking “its so easy”. No one posts a bad exercising. No one posts the exercising they missed. No one posts the depression they have when they get injured or such relationships it expenditure them. All you see is the good stuff .”

Deep squats, lunges, deadlifts and high-intensity cardio are the mainstay of online exercisings, and stop Cameron Tudor, proprietor of West London Physiotherapy, in business.” We’ve seen an increase in the numbers of clients coming to us having disabled themselves doing online workouts ,” he says.” People get hurt predominantly because the theme is:’ This is what I do and there’s no reason it won’t work for you .’ Extrapolated across the population, that’s not going to be good. While it’s a great circumstance that people are being encouraged to be active, if you’ve never elevated a barbell and then start elevating 10 kg, you’ll put your materials at risk .” Part of the problem, Tudor says, is in the age changes.” The coaches are generally in their early 20 s, but a lot of the person or persons use the programmes are mid-to-late 30 s and 40 s. That subjects, because your tissues are far more resilient when you’re under 30.”

All exercise carries specific risks of harm, but the lack of supervision means that online programmes can carry more probability. Cara, 28, from Birmingham, was doing an online squats defy when she damaged her sciatic nerve.” I am sweeping about what happened to me ,” she says,” but I’m not sure what anyone can do about it. It was my decided not to do the programme. I merely didn’t know it wasn’t the right thing for me .”

Natalie Burley, 37, from Chichester, swapped daily hearings on her exercise bike for an online programme to regain some fitness after her second child. In her fifth week, she inaugurated knowing knee anguish.” A physio was just telling me I’d exacerbated the ligaments on the outside of my knee and I had to rest for six weeks. Now I have to wear a knee funding .”

Fitness stars themselves aren’t immune from both physical or psychological traumata as a result of their jobs. Van Dijk tells me she cracked her handwriting doing box jumps last year. Fitness Instagrammer Queen City Sweat( nearly 50,000 adherents) wrote a pole in June admitting she had become “addicted” to activity in 2016, blaming the pressures of social media.” It becomes so simple to start equating yourself to others on here, which led me to develop a mindset of’ How skinny can I get ?’ rather than’ How healthy can I be ?'” she wrote.

According to a 2008 Journal of Health Psychology study, girls reported an ever increasing negative mood, sadnes and nervousnes after merely 30 times of deeming fitness periodicals that promote an” sporting principle “. Social media means you don’t have to buy a publication to discover these likeness; they’re in your newsfeed. The BMJ has identified practise craving as a originating trouble, feigning up to 10% of the employing population. Meanwhile, research from Flinders University in Australia found that online “fitspo” personas predominantly illustrate the thin or sporting principle for women or the muscular ideology for men which, says clinical psychologist Dr Lisa Orban, can lead to mental difficulties, more.” Images considered on Instagram can represent one uniform, idealised standard of attractiveness- one not achievable to most young people .”

I ask celebrity personal trainer James Duigan if he has were part of Instagram’s fitness culture. “Massively,” he says from his gym in western London.” Social media facilitated my business Bodyism, and I admit that. But I think there’s a difference between that and photos of beings publicizing commodities and selling exert and nutrition curricula, which can be physically and emotionally destructive .”

Duigan attained his name grooming the likes of Elle Macpherson and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley- both terribly successful simulations, neither with particularly achievable physiques- but “he il be” definite about his issues with online fitness programs.” Too many of these videos peculiarity complex moves and beings get hurt ,” he says.” From a physiological perspective, there’s no guaranty you’re doing things right online .”

Duigan tells me the story of an 18 -year-old client who has just connected his gym, after growing preoccupied with an online workout” advocated by very thin models and reality TV stars “. He sighs:” She developed an anorexia nervosa and was under medical supervision for 18 months. It attains me enraged. Numerous online workouts peculiarity modelings and they examine so compelling, playing into our deepest anxieties. But regular parties won’t achieve the same results.”

Lisa Andrews has now made a full retrieval, but is specified not to succumb to online training a second epoch.” I have removed social media from my phone so I can’t fall back into that vortex. And I’ve connected a gym where they’ve made a programme particularly for me. It’s early days and I know it will take time, but I’m having fun again .”

Some figures have been changed .

* Noting on this article? If you would like your explain to be considered for inclusion on Weekend magazine’s words page in reproduce, please email weekend @theguardian. com, including your name and address( not for pamphlet ).

The post ‘It’s intoxicating- I became obsessed’: has fitness gone too far? appeared first on apsbicepstraining.com.

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[apsbicepstraining]

‘It’s intoxicating- I became obsessed’: has fitness gone too far?

With seven-day gym classes and unregulated instructors on Instagram, is our desire for practise get hazardous?

Lisa Andrews was looking for a speedy fitness secure. The 34 -year-old had” a bit of load to forget” a year after having her first child and, being both time-poor and on a fund, she decided to do it with the assistance of an online 12 -week training programme she’d seen advertised on Facebook.” There were the thousands of changeovers on there ,” Lisa tells me.” I was so excited to start. The program had several different levels so you could begin at whatever level you thought worked for you. Stupidly, I picked intermediate. It was really defying, with daily establisheds of high-intensity activities, and I would routinely find dog-tired and wholly out of sigh by the end of it- but I was on a high. As I get fitter, I began to really desire the training. I looked forward to it, talked about it all the time, got acquaintances to sign up. I became fairly evangelical. Sometimes I’d even do two sessions a date. I’d bounced other activities to work out- because if I had to miss a discussion, I’d appear depressed and fretted it would thwart my change .”

But when” niggling anguishes” in her feet and ankles developed into something more severe, Lisa was unable to go to work. An X-ray confirmed that she had stress fractures in two places available in her hoof. Bound up in a big boot-like aircast, she struggled to walk for weeks and was told to avoid any weight-bearing training for months, until the bones are absolutely mended.” I had become obsessed ,” she says now.” I was wholly into it and the’ community’ of people online doing the same stuff. I’d be on Instagram all the time, looking at other people’s conversions. I do feel silly. I should know better- but it is psychologically intoxicating .”

Using Instagram, blogs and YouTube to get fit is fast becoming de rigueur. And despite get collectively fatter and more sedentary, the British invest evidence amounts of coin rehearsal. Representations from the 2017 UK State of the Fitness Industry report show that the sector is worth more than PS4. 7bn yearly- up more than 6% on its first year before. A speedy search for the #fitspo hashtag on Instagram draws up almost 47 million images- parties in workout gear promoting weights, close-ups of ultra-defined abs, bulbous biceps, “transformation” word-paintings( taken before and after fat loss)- each one advocating a programme more punishing than the last.

These daytimes, hardcore fitness exchanges. Even Nike, which stimulated its call with that all-inclusive Just Do It tagline, has taken to lambasting joggers in its latest ad blitz:” If You Like It Slow, Jog On”, or” You Prevail Some Or You Acquire Some”, exclaim its new billboards. Gyms guide” extend hard” advertisements, with discounted packs for those taking up inexhaustible classifies for short periods of period, such as 10 classifies in 10 days- the kind of training that numerous dub” binge workouts “.

But nowhere is full-on teach more powerfully advocated than on social media, where inspirational paraphrases such as” Pain is Weakness Leaving The Body” and” Sweat Is Your Fat Crying” are liked and shared billions of occasions. In the age of “wellth”, a well-honed tricep is more desirable than the latest duet of decorator shoes. The so-called world-wide of “fitspo” began as a niche practice for gym nerds to share tips-off and document how their bodies changed, before spreading into a whole lifestyle progress. Instagram’s short videos lend themselves to fitness content; beings started following routines in the gym.

Fitness progress have been around a very long time- think back to Jane Fonda, The Green Goddess and Mr Motivator- but works out has become a lot more complex since the aerobics periods, says Rick Miller, a clinical and plays dietician.” Increasingly, there seems to be this feeling of,’ Why would I go for a soothing 5km trot or a moderate aerobic discussion when I can do a punishing high-intensity set ?'” he tells me over lunch. High-intensity training( mixing all-out outbursts of pleasure with short remainders) goes mixed re-examines from health professionals: some swear by the fast develops, while many believe that unsupervised employ of this kind can cause health problems.

” Many young person I construe are completely preoccupied with Instagram fitness stars ,” Miller says,” and they follow workouts from so-called tutors they don’t know, which may not be right for their own bodies or their levels of fitness. Fitness athletes are adepts online, but their followers often try to instruct at the standard of health professionals player, without the core level of fitness. Following this type of workouts can very often to be translated into injury and burnout. Were I to recommend some of the things that fitness bloggers recommend- levels of practise, nutritional advice- I would get struck off .”

The National Careers Service was pointed out that training to become a fitness teach can only be done on the job at a gym, as an apprentice, or via a college route. Becoming a personal manager( PT) is more advanced. PTs are often self-employed, and they need insurance, first-aid exercise, an awareness of dissection and physiology, and a qualification, which takes anything from six weeks 3 months to achieve. Increasingly, trainers tell me, gyms are looking for another asset in their PTs: they want them to be photogenic, with a big social media following.

Zanna Van Dijk:’ When I look back at my old-time uprights, I cringe .’ Photograph: Getty Images

Some Insta-fitness personalities have personal education suitabilities, but numerous do not. Often, there is no way of telling who is trained and who isn’t, without asking them. Anyone with more than 100,000 followers, nonetheless, irrespective of their qualifications, is deemed an “influencer”, courted by brands eager to reach their adherents. That’s a fact that tempers many offline personal trainers, who was of the view that the unqualified yet famous ones devalue their profession.” Online curricula want people to feel as if they have their own- cheap- personal trainer ,” one tells me.” As some of them are wholly unskilled and the programmes are really’ one length fits all ‘, current realities couldn’t be further from the truth. It realizes reputable personal trainers seem outrageously expensive .”

It is a sentiment resembled by one health and allure magazine writer, who asks to remain anonymous because her ideas don’t tally with that of her bos.” These epoches, a strong Instagram following, good gene reserve and even better spray sunburn can construct you a fitness ace, regardless of what qualifications you have. Not only do many of these’ fitness virtuosoes’ know little about what constitutes safe usage( the truth is that no amount of likes come in handy when you need to solve a gym-induced injury ), they likewise create a inaccurate gumption of what fit and healthy looks like- and it doesn’t ever look 21 and great in a bikini. Include to that the fact that these social media adepts get paid to alter fitness devices, gambits and protein shakes, and you’ve a whole loading of dangerously misguided adherents .”

No one would deny that people becoming more active is anything other than a good event. Millennials claim to enjoy working out as much as going out; gyms have become stylish, social openings where people invest their Friday nights and Saturday mornings, often doing back-to-back first-class. Revolving, boxing and hybrid cardio-barre workouts at city-centre-based studios often have waiting lists for evening or weekend seminars, when people would traditionally be kicking back with a potion( fewer parties aged between 16 and 24 suck than ever before, according to the Office of National Statistics ). Gyms are designed with stylish interiors and high-impact facet walls- all the better to post to Instagram.

And while the rest of the fashion sector strives, activewear- now not so much a category of apparel as a way of life, led by leggings and cultivate tops- has already become big business. Morgan Stanley forecasts the workout clothe sector to be worth $83 bn a year globally over the next three years. Gymwear is no longer age-old jogging posteriors or baggy T-shirts; it’s cut-outs and mesh- robes you can wear all day, seven days a week.

It’s a warm Monday lunchtime and I am sitting next to a dough oven in a sourdough bakery in Battersea, south London. Where else to assemble a 24 -year-old characterized personal trainer and full-time fitness blogger? This is one of Zanna Van Dijk‘s favourite hangouts: when she’s not working out( or “socialing” herself doing so ), Van Dijk and her boyfriend run an Instagram account devote to where to find the best brunch. There is a lot weighing about the type of alternative milk to be served with her americano. Later this afternoon, she tells me, she is getting the representation for Earth tattooed on her wrist because,” I’m a vegetarian for countries around the world .”

Van Dijk is towering, about 6ft, and lean. She has long, blond mane, immaculate makeup and more than 180, 000 adherents on Instagram. She learnt speech therapy at Sheffield University, but after graduating went into fitness blogging full era.” For me, fitness started as a lane to lose my’ Fresher’s 15′[ a reference to the heavines first-year university students can gain ]. I documented it, picked up 35,000 partisans and didn’t know what to do with them. So I took a year off, endeavoured to London, started to work as a PT, made an income and forged partnerships with firebrands. I did a six-week intensive route and got it sponsored, as long as I blogged about it. As my online chart grew, I shortened my personal instruct task- now I learn parties one morning a week. Otherwise, I’m editing videos or blogposts- I do three of these each a week. I’ve written a book, I’ve brought out jumpers[ which say’ Coffee and carbs’ on them ], and I’m an Adidas envoy .”

Van Dijk acknowledges occasions were quite different when she was starting out.” When I look back at my age-old berths, I cringe. I reckon:’ Gosh, people know good-for-nothing! You had completely the incorrect outcome of the stick !’ I used to try and be super-lean, and now I certainly don’t care if I am lean or not- I want to be fit .” She violates off to vlog, before we look through her Instagram demographics together.

” My following is 81% dames, 19% beings ,” she says.” The biggest audience is 25- to 34 -year-olds, more older males, more younger women, mostly London, mostly UK .” More older humanities? Isn’t that a bit creepy? Van Dijk doesn’t react. Does she appear a responsibility to her followers?” You want to be 100% honest and share everything, but the other day, I did a video where I indicated my figure. It was all about self-confidence and self-love, which is what I am all about, but person observation:’ I just think this video is drawing attention to different people’s bodies and their appearings .’ That wasn’t its intention, that’s how it’s being comprehended .”

Van Dijk argues that her admirers shouldn’t compare themselves with her.” It’s really hard. I teach four days per week or maybe five ,” she says.” A slew of young girls will look at me and think:’ I want to look like she examines and I want to do what she does ,’ and that’s when I have to be so careful .”

In that gumption, she experiences she has to protect people from themselves.” If you’re someone who has a negative mindset or is in a vulnerable place, you can easily access information that you could use mischievously. If you’re someone with an eating disorder or an infatuation with employ, Instagram is no longer an good home to be .”

Celebrity manager James Duigan( right ):’ There’s no guarantee you’re doing things right online’

How much responsibility do online trainers really make for parties copying the workouts they recommend? Jean-Claude Vacassin, the founder of boutique London gym W10, is not a fan of fitness via social media or, as he expressions it “excer-train-ment”. ” What parties assure on social media is selling ,” he tells me on the phone.” Extreme fitness exchanges, it’s exciting. It used to be that moving a marathon was hardcore. Now, that’s not enough: you have to do a multi-day ultra-marathon. A mint of these online training regimen is directed at millennials who want to buy on the first clink and transform their body on the second- and they push themselves more hard-boiled. No one wants to invest eight weeks moving more and snacking less these days because, sadly, beings don’t believe basic practise, done well, is going to get them anywhere. There’s this idea that it’s boring .” He quotes the case of a developer who got a deal with a complement companionship because he works out a lot and has hundreds of thousands of Instagram followers.” But does that make he knows what he’s doing? No! He’s a make , not a personal coach .”

Vacassin lends:” In our gym, we have gym criteria. Parties undergo an assessment before they get a programme. Hiit[ high intensity] training courses and involved employs under tirednes should not be in 90% of people’s fitness regimes because they don’t have the physical ability. These online reports trick beings into thinking “its so easy”. No one posts a bad exercising. No one posts the exercising they missed. No one posts the depression they have when they get injured or such relationships it expenditure them. All you see is the good stuff .”

Deep squats, lunges, deadlifts and high-intensity cardio are the mainstay of online exercisings, and stop Cameron Tudor, proprietor of West London Physiotherapy, in business.” We’ve seen an increase in the numbers of clients coming to us having disabled themselves doing online workouts ,” he says.” People get hurt predominantly because the theme is:’ This is what I do and there’s no reason it won’t work for you .’ Extrapolated across the population, that’s not going to be good. While it’s a great circumstance that people are being encouraged to be active, if you’ve never elevated a barbell and then start elevating 10 kg, you’ll put your materials at risk .” Part of the problem, Tudor says, is in the age changes.” The coaches are generally in their early 20 s, but a lot of the person or persons use the programmes are mid-to-late 30 s and 40 s. That subjects, because your tissues are far more resilient when you’re under 30.”

All exercise carries specific risks of harm, but the lack of supervision means that online programmes can carry more probability. Cara, 28, from Birmingham, was doing an online squats defy when she damaged her sciatic nerve.” I am sweeping about what happened to me ,” she says,” but I’m not sure what anyone can do about it. It was my decided not to do the programme. I merely didn’t know it wasn’t the right thing for me .”

Natalie Burley, 37, from Chichester, swapped daily hearings on her exercise bike for an online programme to regain some fitness after her second child. In her fifth week, she inaugurated knowing knee anguish.” A physio was just telling me I’d exacerbated the ligaments on the outside of my knee and I had to rest for six weeks. Now I have to wear a knee funding .”

Fitness stars themselves aren’t immune from both physical or psychological traumata as a result of their jobs. Van Dijk tells me she cracked her handwriting doing box jumps last year. Fitness Instagrammer Queen City Sweat( nearly 50,000 adherents) wrote a pole in June admitting she had become “addicted” to activity in 2016, blaming the pressures of social media.” It becomes so simple to start equating yourself to others on here, which led me to develop a mindset of’ How skinny can I get ?’ rather than’ How healthy can I be ?'” she wrote.

According to a 2008 Journal of Health Psychology study, girls reported an ever increasing negative mood, sadnes and nervousnes after merely 30 times of deeming fitness periodicals that promote an” sporting principle “. Social media means you don’t have to buy a publication to discover these likeness; they’re in your newsfeed. The BMJ has identified practise craving as a originating trouble, feigning up to 10% of the employing population. Meanwhile, research from Flinders University in Australia found that online “fitspo” personas predominantly illustrate the thin or sporting principle for women or the muscular ideology for men which, says clinical psychologist Dr Lisa Orban, can lead to mental difficulties, more.” Images considered on Instagram can represent one uniform, idealised standard of attractiveness- one not achievable to most young people .”

I ask celebrity personal trainer James Duigan if he has were part of Instagram’s fitness culture. “Massively,” he says from his gym in western London.” Social media facilitated my business Bodyism, and I admit that. But I think there’s a difference between that and photos of beings publicizing commodities and selling exert and nutrition curricula, which can be physically and emotionally destructive .”

Duigan attained his name grooming the likes of Elle Macpherson and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley- both terribly successful simulations, neither with particularly achievable physiques- but “he il be” definite about his issues with online fitness programs.” Too many of these videos peculiarity complex moves and beings get hurt ,” he says.” From a physiological perspective, there’s no guaranty you’re doing things right online .”

Duigan tells me the story of an 18 -year-old client who has just connected his gym, after growing preoccupied with an online workout” advocated by very thin models and reality TV stars “. He sighs:” She developed an anorexia nervosa and was under medical supervision for 18 months. It attains me enraged. Numerous online workouts peculiarity modelings and they examine so compelling, playing into our deepest anxieties. But regular parties won’t achieve the same results.”

Lisa Andrews has now made a full retrieval, but is specified not to succumb to online training a second epoch.” I have removed social media from my phone so I can’t fall back into that vortex. And I’ve connected a gym where they’ve made a programme particularly for me. It’s early days and I know it will take time, but I’m having fun again .”

Some figures have been changed .

* Noting on this article? If you would like your explain to be considered for inclusion on Weekend magazine’s words page in reproduce, please email weekend @theguardian. com, including your name and address( not for pamphlet ).

The post ‘It’s intoxicating- I became obsessed’: has fitness gone too far? appeared first on apsbicepstraining.com.

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